


Lost and Found

by ChucklesCPfic



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-05-01 22:40:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 41,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5223695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChucklesCPfic/pseuds/ChucklesCPfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chakotay and Tom try to retrieve items stolen from Voyager, and find something else along the way. (Written between October 2001 and April 2002)<br/>This is most definitely a C/P fic but there is some C/other male.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Commander. All ready for our foray into the world of crime and intrigue?" Tom asked as he caught up with Voyager's First Officer just outside the transporter room.

The Commander glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "As ready as I'll ever be," he answered, continuing into the room as Tom followed him.

Tom grinned. "That's usually my line," he commented. He stepped up onto the transporter pad beside the other man, then placed the holdall he'd been carrying at his feet. "I know *I'm* not really looking forward to risking life and limb, but usually, it doesn't seem to bother you," Tom continued, looking across at Chakotay. "Is it my company that's dampening your enthusiasm? Because, I promise you, it *can* be good."

"So I've heard, Paris. But without firsthand experience, I wouldn't know for sure," Chakotay remarked, pulling at the hem of the dark green, loose-fitting shirt he was wearing.

Tom gave an amused snort and went to reply but, as he did, Chakotay nodded at the Ensign in charge of the transporter and they were beamed down to the planet below.

"So, what now, Chakotay?" Tom asked as he looked around the room that they'd materialised in. It was gloomy, just occasional flashes of red or yellow light coming through the high windows, from tiny transport craft that flew silently past outside.

"We keep our voices down and we wait," Chakotay said, gesturing for Tom to follow him across the large, empty room and into one of the corners.

"D'you think Telsesh will show? I mean, he didn't look the sort that could handle the amount of trouble he might find himself in," Tom said, sitting on the wooden floor next to the Commander.

"Looks can be deceiving, Paris. I can vouch for that," Chakotay replied quietly. "And as you know, personal gain often takes precedence over loyalty. Telsesh is obviously more concerned with living the high life that Voyager's generosity will allow, rather than his colleagues' wrath when they find out that he's returned our stolen equipment."

"Yeah, but I'm still surprised," Tom remarked. "He just didn't come across as the type that would double-cross someone like Kenthah."

"Maybe not, but that's what he's agreed to do. And like I said, you can't go on looks. After all, the Captain and Tuvok never suspected, until it was too late, that Kenthah was anything other than the planetary official he purported to be."

"Yeah, I know," Tom stated. "The Captain described him as the most charming villain she's ever met."

"He's probably the most dangerous as well," Chakotay commented, shifting into a more comfortable position on the dusty floor. "He not only has a large following and the most sophisticated weapons, he also possesses almost limitless funds to finance his operations."

"Yeah, no wonder this planet's ruling body refused to intervene. I'm just amazed Kenthah hasn't overthrown them yet."

"I'm sure he would if it would serve his purpose. There must be some advantageous reason for him to leave things as they are."

"You're probably right," Tom said, leaning his head against the rough wall behind him. "And Telsesh must really have some balls to go against a formidable man like that."

"Definitely," Chakotay agreed.

"Which, yet again, makes me wonder just why the hell *we're* expected to take Kenthah on," Tom said, facing the Commander. "I mean, after tonight we're on our own, no back-up. What if we get into trouble? From daybreak tomorrow there'll be no way of leaving this planet or contacting Voyager for the next four days because of the Nahldarians' strange census ideas."

"Strange ideas to us, maybe, but they obviously deem the planet-wide barrier to be necessary while they conduct their population count. Nobody enters and nobody leaves for the duration of the census; at least that means our missing components won't be spirited away without us having the chance to reclaim them."

"Yeah, but God only knows why the Nahldarians need an exact population figure," Tom muttered as another flash of red light briefly illuminated the room. "And what happens when we get asked by some census official to explain our presence? We're not supposed to be here."

"Weren't you paying attention during the briefing, Paris? The Nahldarians know about us; we've already been accounted for. I have all our required documentation. At least the governing body gave us that much help."

"Oh yeah, of course. I'd forgotten about that."

"Well, try not to forget anything else, Lieutenant. We'll need our wits about us if Kenthah gets wind of what we're up to."

"Yeah, sorry. I guess I'm just a bit nervous," Tom apologised. "Telsesh should've been here by now, shouldn't he?"

"Yes, he should have," Chakotay confirmed, checking the time. "He's not very late, though. We'll wait a little longer before we give up on him."

"And then what? We really need to get those parts back or B'Elanna'll kill us," Tom said, running his fingers through his hair.

"That's the least of our problems," Chakotay remarked. "Those components are vital to the ship's ability to travel at warp for sustained periods of time. If we don't get them back it will take us forever to get back to the Alpha Quadrant.

"And, as B'Elanna pointed out at the briefing, we can't replicate the parts very easily," Chakotay continued. "They're too intricate. It would take too long and use up too much power. We either get them back or we have to find the resources to construct replacements by hand."

"Yeah, I know. Neither option'll be easy," Tom commented with a sigh. "But it's too bad we couldn't leave all this cloak and dagger stuff to Tuvok."

"He's got enough on his plate at the moment, initiating new security measures."

Tom snorted softly and shook his head. "Kenthah certainly circumvented the old ones pretty easily," he stated, his voice containing a slight amount of awe.

"Yes, unfortunately he did," Chakotay replied, rising and walking to stand to one side of the nearby window. The broken ledge that ran beneath it came just below his chin and Chakotay cautiously moved his head to peer through the grimy glass to the dark street outside. It was quiet, not even any airborne craft passing by now. Only the appearance of Nahldar's large moon, hanging like a softly glowing light bulb in the deep mauve sky, prevented total darkness. Chakotay sighed and rubbed his hand across his face as he considered what to do.

Telsesh was overdue; either the man had reconsidered his plans or something had happened to him, he decided, but he had no way of knowing which. No matter what the correct scenario was, however, he and Tom couldn't afford to stay where they were for much longer; there was always the chance that Kenthah had found out about the meeting. Chakotay had no doubts that the unscrupulous alien would be expecting some kind of attempt to recover the stolen parts, but if they could keep just a small element of surprise, then maybe they could succeed in their mission. With another soft sigh he turned back towards his companion. "I don't think Telsesh is coming, Tom. We'd better leave."

"Where will we go? The accommodation that Telsesh arranged for us?" Tom queried as he stood up.

"No, I don't think that's a good idea," Chakotay replied, walking away from the window. "If Telsesh has changed his mind, or something untoward has happened to him, Kenthah might know where we were supposed to stay. We'll have to find somewhere else."

"Yeah, you're right. But where? According to the Nahldarian diplomat Captain Janeway spoke to, Kenthah controls most of this area."

"Yes, I know. We'll have to find an out of the way place and hope that none of his minions are there. Or, if they are, that they don't recognise us as coming from Voyager. As to everyone else, we should be okay. As long as we conform to what the Nahldarians regard as normal behaviour we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves."

"Let's hope you're right, Commander, because I don't relish the idea of becoming part of the foundations for Kenthah's next building project."

"That's a bit dramatic, Paris. More of your Twentieth Century way of thinking?"

"It used to happen and I wouldn't put it past Kenthah to follow the Delta Quadrant equivalent," Tom said, brushing the dust from the billowing brown pants that he was wearing and the loose, black tunic that hung over them, almost to his knees.

"Then we'd better keep out of his way," Chakotay remarked.

Following Tom's lead, Chakotay removed the dirt from his own clothes, then headed towards the old, wooden door on the opposite side of the room. He paused, waiting for Tom to join him before he carefully opened it, and after assuring themselves that there was no apparent threats to their safety, they stepped out into the warm night air of Velator, the region's principal tourist and entertainment centre. The two men looked around them, taking in their surroundings before setting off down the deserted road towards the bright, multicoloured lights in the distance.

The sector they were in had been abandoned after suffering a series of devastating fires and was awaiting redevelopment, the catastrophe clearly evident as they walked in the shadows of burnt-out, but still impressive, buildings towards the densely populated area ahead.

It took almost fifteen minutes for them to reach the first noisy bar in a street lined on either side by similar establishments. Having already stopped to contact Voyager and inform the Captain of their situation, the two officers set about the task of determining where they would spend the night.

"Obviously, the larger places are out," Tom commented as they stood surveying the bustling area around them. The noise coming from some of the clubs was almost deafening, loud pounding music combined with squeals of laughter and shouts from their raucous clientele spilling out into the road.

"I think everywhere on this street is out, Tom," Chakotay replied, looking from one rowdy multipurpose premise to another. "We need somewhere a little more low-key."

"Not too low-key though, or we could stick out like sore thumbs," Tom remarked as a pair of seemingly drunk individuals staggered past them and entered a nearby club. "Maybe we should check out the places down the side roads."

"I was thinking the same thing. Come on, we'll start over there," Chakotay said, pointing across the road to the corner of a brightly-lit thoroughfare.

Tom nodded, and together they picked their way through the throng of diverse revellers that crowded their path, to begin the search for suitable accommodation.

It took almost an hour of strolling along, weighing up the pros and cons of various large hotels and smaller guest-houses, before they finally decided on a place that was fairly quiet in comparison to many of the others that they'd seen. It was a modest-sized building set back from the road, a paved area in front filled with tables and chairs where an interesting assortment of customers sat drinking and eating as they listened to music from the resident band. A few of the guests were singing along, their voices sweet and melodic despite the fact that they were clearly intoxicated. Tom smiled at them, then followed Chakotay through the main door and up to the reception desk.

"Good evening, friends. Do you require a room?" the tall Nahldarian there asked as the two men approached him.

"Yes, we do," Chakotay replied, nodding. "Do you have a vacancy?"

"For how many nights?" the receptionist queried as he accessed the hotel's accommodation data on the computer terminal in front of him.

"At least five, possibly more," Chakotay answered, leaning on the polished-wood desk, while Tom stood beside him, looking on.

The Nahldarian smiled. "We have a room available," he said. "But I will need your documentation. The census requires that I keep a complete record of all our visitors."

"I understand," Chakotay replied, removing a small disk from his pocket and handing it to the man. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, everything I require should be here. I will transfer the necessary amount of credits from your funds, then, when you have verified it, you will sign the register and I will return the disk."

Chakotay nodded and, just a few minutes later, the formalities complete, the officers were shown to a bright, airy room on the second floor.

"Well, this is pretty nice," Tom remarked as he put his bag on the floor and gazed around at the lavish furnishings. "Although there is one problem. There's only one bed."

"What did you expect, Paris? Did you forget that this whole area is designated for couples only?" Chakotay asked as he crossed to the window and looked out. "And the Nahldarians expect couples to sleep in the same bed, nothing else is acceptable to them," he added, watching the happy people in the street below.

"Right," Tom muttered. "So who gets the couch?"

Chakotay turned around and smiled. "You do, if you don't trust me to behave myself," he said with a laugh.

Tom snorted, then frowned. "Can't we just take turns? Or are you pulling rank on me?"

"No, I'm not pulling rank. But I do intend to sleep in that bed. I have no problems with the arrangement. If you do, and want to spend the night on the couch, that's up to you. Go right ahead. But don't expect me to give up my comfort just because you don't want to share."

"It's not that," Tom stated quietly. "I don't mind sleeping in the same bed as you, but after tonight you'll be the one wanting the couch."

"Why? What's the problem? Do you snore or something?" Chakotay asked, puzzled.

"I don't snore. At least I don't think I do," Tom said, walking over to the bed and sitting down. "It's worse than that."

"What could be worse than that?" Chakotay enquired, staring at the obviously embarrassed man.

Tom sighed, then reluctantly admitted, "I cuddle."

"You cuddle?" Chakotay laughed. "Involuntarily? In your sleep?"

"Yeah," Tom replied sheepishly. "I can't help it. When I was dating B'Elanna it used to really piss her off. She hated waking up to find me hanging on to her like she was some kind of giant teddy bear. But at least she was my girlfriend, physical contact was expected. The trouble is, I can't control it. And if *you* woke up to find me wrapped around you, you'd probably kill me."

Chakotay laughed again, then sat down on the bed next to Tom. "I wouldn't kill you, Tom," he said, still chuckling. "I admit, if you hadn't told me about this I would have been surprised, but I don't see cuddling as a valid reason to kill someone. Even you."

"Gee, thanks for your tolerance, Chakotay," Tom replied sarcastically.

"You're welcome, Tom. Now if that's settled, I'm going to bed. You do what you want, but bear in mind that we'll need to be alert tomorrow when we start our search for Telsesh. A night on the couch might not be the best idea in the circumstances, I doubt you'll sleep too well there."

"Yeah, you're right," Tom conceded. "I'll share the bed. But just remember that you've been warned. I won't accept any responsibility or punishment for whatever position we wake up in tomorrow morning."

"Very well, Lieutenant, your right to impunity is duly noted. Now let's get to sleep. We're going to need our rest, we'll probably have a lot of walking to do tomorrow."

"Yes, Sir," Tom replied, then picked up his bag and strolled to the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunlight streaming through the large window, along with bursts of laughter from the street below, woke Tom the next day. He lay still, listening to the cheerful sounds of a Nahldarian morning, awareness of his waking position gradually creeping over him.

He was being held, strong arms enveloping him as he lay on his right side, his head pressing against Chakotay's neck. His left arm was draped over the other man's warm body, their legs entangled and their morning erections touching lightly through the thin material of their sleep pants.

The Commander slept on, his soft breath tickling Tom's skin and sending a small shiver down Tom's spine, but the younger man was in no hurry to move. He felt relaxed and content in their embrace, savouring the smoothness of Chakotay's skin as he gently caressed the older man's back. Tom closed his eyes and snuggled in closer and it wasn't until many minutes later that he reluctantly decided he could no longer stay where he was. He'd warned Chakotay about his tendency to cuddle and, no matter how much he really wanted to stay in Chakotay's arms, he wasn't going to risk embarrassing the man by letting him wake that way,

He ran his hand over Chakotay's back one last time, then, after leaving a gentle kiss on the soft skin beneath his lips, Tom carefully pulled away from the Commander and slipped out of bed. He stretched, feeling the warmth of the Nahldarian sun as it poured into the room, bathing his bare chest, before he quietly headed for the bathroom.

Chakotay waited until he heard the click of the bathroom door before he opened his eyes. It had taken all his self-control to stay still, the temptation to return what he believed were Tom's unconscious attentions had been almost impossible to resist. But, with the exception of the embrace that had started while he'd been asleep and continued after he'd woken, he *had* resisted. Just.

He was glad Tom had explained to him what might happen, otherwise he was sure he would have made a fool of himself, believing Tom's longed for touches were not involuntary but had been meant. But, having been forewarned, and deciding his feigned ignorance of Tom's actions would prevent embarrassment for the younger man, Chakotay had kept his eyes closed and waited for Tom to move away.

Now, Chakotay lay still, trying to push away the thought of how good it had felt to have Tom in his arms, even for such a short time, and he wondered if every morning on this planet would start the same way. Sighing, he sat up, determined to get his mind back on the mission and away from the one person he'd always wanted, but believed he could never have.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tom stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel from the nearby rail, his thoughts again centred on the man in the other room.

He hadn't lied to Chakotay the night before, but he hadn't told the Commander the complete truth either. He *did* unknowingly cuddle in his sleep, although it hadn't just been Chakotay's reaction to that fact that had concerned him. He'd been worried about his own reaction, too. And now, after this morning, Tom was more worried than ever.

It had felt too good, waking up with the man that had lived in his dreams since the first time they'd met. Tom wasn't sure if he'd be able to control himself if they woke up like that again. He'd almost gone too far *this* time, touching and stroking Chakotay as the older man slept, unable to resist the allure of his soft skin.

Tom rubbed at his hair with the thick towel and gazed into the large, oval mirror that was on the wall above the wash-basin. He decided that he would have to show more restraint in future. He couldn't afford to let Chakotay know how he felt about him, especially as he was certain there was no chance of those feelings being reciprocated.

After wrapping another towel around his waist, Tom took a deep breath and opened the door to the bedroom. He was determined he would hide his desire for Chakotay, and keep everything between them as professional as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, Commander, where should we start?" Tom asked quietly. He looked around   
the breakfast room, noting that all the other occupants were seated in pairs at small round tables, just as he and Chakotay were.

"We have to find Telsesh. Find out what happened to him last night," Chakotay replied, pondering their course of action. "Let's try to locate that club he mentioned, the one he said he worked in occasionally."

"We'll have to be discreet, or Kenthah might get to hear about us. If he hasn't already."

"There's a good chance that he has, Tom. He's an intelligent man, he'll know that someone from our ship will have been sent to recover the stolen parts. But one advantage we have is that you and I weren't involved with Kenthah when he was onboard Voyager; he knows nothing about us. Admittedly, he would still recognise a human if he saw one, but hopefully, the temporary facial changes the Doctor made to us will keep anyone from discovering our true species."

"Well, we've blended in okay so far," Tom commented, placing his fingers on the prominent ridges that ran across his forehead. The implants curved around his eye sockets before continuing down, framing his face and joining at his chin. "We look just like any other Nahldarian," he added.

"Yes, we do," Chakotay agreed. "Especially with the new hair length and colour. Long, auburn locks really suit you, Paris."

Tom snorted and smiled. "You too, Commander," he said, looking appraisingly at the grinning man next to him.

Chakotay pushed his empty plate to one side and laughed. "Come on, Tom, that's enough mutual admiration. Let's go. We have work to do."

"Yes, Sir," Tom replied, rising. He followed Chakotay across the breakfast room to a door that opened directly onto the street, and they stepped outside.

It was bright and warm with hardly a cloud in sight as the two men gazed up at the sky, both looking for the same thing; some indication that the Nahldarian barrier was now in place. There was nothing to be seen though, the planet-wide shield invisible to the naked eye, so they returned their attention to the area around them.

The street was still teeming with life. Exuberant couples, some looking as though they'd been up all night, were filling the pavement and the outdoor restaurants. Others were standing in long queues, waiting patiently for transport to the tiny shuttles that would take them on pleasure flights and sight-seeing tours of Velator. Music and laughter came from all directions. Chakotay tapped Tom on the arm and gestured towards one of the ever-open clubs nearby. "Let's start in there," he said, then started walking towards it.

Tom followed and they entered through a low doorway to find two Nahldarians sitting at a desk, a large, white room visible behind them. Quiet music was playing, and pairs of Nahldarians sat on fragile-looking white chairs, staring only at their own partner and seemingly unaware of the others around them; a stark contrast to most of the other establishments that Chakotay and Tom had passed the night before. Chakotay frowned, looking from the silent couples in the room beyond, then back to Tom. "I don't think we'll get any leads here," he whispered.

"I think you're right," Tom agreed as they turned, smiled at the men at the desk, then made their way back outside. "I wonder what they were doing?" Tom mused as they found themselves back in the noisy street.

"I have no idea," Chakotay stated with a shake of his head. "But it didn't look like the sort of place that Telsesh said he worked in."

"No, it didn't. From the comments he made, I got the impression he was employed somewhere a little livelier than that," Tom remarked as they wandered further down the busy road. "And what was that word he used in connection with the place? You know, the one the translator couldn't decipher?"

"It was 'Vlenkla'," Chakotay answered, stopping to let two women pass. They turned and gave him a strange look, glancing at each other before moving away quickly. Chakotay watched them go, puzzled by their actions. "I wonder what that word means?" he said, suddenly realising that the women had overheard him.

"I don't know," Tom replied, turning to face Chakotay. "Perhaps it's some sort of swear word."

"Maybe," Chakotay said, nodding. "But whatever it is, I don't think I ought to repeat it. If those women are anything to go by, it could draw more unnecessary attention to us."

"Yeah, it could," Tom agreed. He looked over Chakotay's shoulder, watching a group of people enter the premises behind him. "So, Commander, another club?" he asked.

"Yes, Lieutenant. Another club," Chakotay replied, turning to follow Tom's gaze.

They walked over to join the group of Nahldarians who were queuing up to pay the admission charge before they could enter the building. When they reached the cashier, Chakotay handed over another disk. This one contained no personal details, only the number of the account to be debited, and he and Tom were then allowed to proceed to the club's main hall.

"This looks a bit more promising," Tom said loudly, almost shouting to be heard over the blaring music, and the Nahldarian voices that tried to accompany it. Chakotay nodded, unwilling to shout back, then pointed to the bar situated at the rear of the hall. Tom got the message, and they crossed the dark, crowded room to order a couple of the local drinks.

As they sat and sipped at the spicy and intoxicating dark blue liquor they'd been served with, they found that it was very easy to strike up conversations with the friendly bar staff. A few of the club's patrons joined them as well, keen to chat about their own experiences in Velator and to give the two officers tips about the best places to visit. But, despite the wealth of information they imparted, no-one had any knowledge of Telsesh. So, after an hour of nursing the same drink, and coming to the conclusion that they weren't going to learn anything more than they had already, Chakotay and Tom said their goodbyes and left.

The scene was repeated in each subsequent club they visited; everyone was friendly, but no-one could tell them anything about Telsesh. They ploughed on though, despite their growing frustration, and, in the early evening, having consumed more alcohol than was really prudent, their luck finally changed.

They had entered one of the large clubs on the main street and were standing apart from each other at the edge of the dance floor, when Tom noticed that someone was watching them. A tall, slim Nahldarian dressed in varying shades of red stood nearby, his gaze firmly fixed on Chakotay. Tom moved closer to the Commander and spoke quietly, keeping one eye on his observer. "You seem to have an admirer," he whispered, gesturing with his eyes to where the man stood watching. Chakotay turned slightly, hoping to catch a covert glimpse of whoever Tom was indicating, but as he moved, the Nahldarian walked towards them.

"Friend," the man said, holding out his hand to Chakotay. "I believe you are looking for someone."

Chakotay took the man's proffered hand and the Nahldarian smiled. "What exactly have you heard?" Chakotay asked as the man stepped closer, still holding Chakotay's hand in his.

"Not here," the Nahldarian said quietly. He let go of Chakotay's hand, then inclined his head towards a door near the bar. "Come with me."

Chakotay glanced at Tom as the man walked off, then they followed him, stepping through the door into a dimly lit passageway. It sloped downwards, taking them beneath the building, and eventually brought them to another room filled with people and music.

"Let me get you a drink," the Nahldarian said, moving across to the bar. He moved behind it and brought out three glasses, filling them with familiar blue liquid and handing one each to Chakotay and Tom. He raised his own glass to his lips and swallowed the contents in one gulp, encouraging the others to do the same.

"Now," he said, addressing Chakotay. "We dance."

Before Chakotay had a chance to even think of protesting, the man was at his side. He slipped his arm around Chakotay's waist and led him out onto the dance floor.

Tom leaned back against the bar, amusement showing on his face at first as he watched Chakotay attempt to imitate the dance style that, up until now, the older man had only observed. Tom's amusement began to falter though, as the music changed from very lively and loud to extremely slow and seductive.

Out on the dance floor, Chakotay found himself in a tight embrace. The Nahldarian, who had revealed to Chakotay that his name was Amshev, pressed against him, his hands gently caressing Chakotay's back as both men swayed to the music. At the stranger's advances, Chakotay closed his eyes and rested his head on the man's shoulder, the liquor he'd consumed, and the frustrations of the day, suddenly catching up with him. Considering the area they were in was a 'couples only' zone, Chakotay had found it unsurprising that everywhere he and Tom had visited they had been treated as though they were a couple. However, he had found the situation almost impossible to handle. For most of the morning he'd enjoyed Tom's company immensely, as he always did, but, as the day had wore on, his attraction to the younger man had become more difficult for him to control, and he'd wished again and again that their 'relationship' was real, that it wasn't just a necessary pretence to aid them in their mission.

All day, he'd fought the arousal that Tom's close proximity had caused, somehow managing to resist the urge to copy the happy couples around them. He had desperately wanted to take the younger man into his arms again, the way they had been in bed that morning. He'd seen other couples kissing and would have loved to emulate them, but Tom's reactions had convinced Chakotay that it would be best to limit their physical contact. He'd arrived at that decision early on, because, on the odd occasion when Chakotay had deemed it necessary that they hold hands, in an attempt to blend in more, Tom had tensed and looked uncomfortable.

Chakotay knew, realistically, that he shouldn't have taken Tom's reaction personally, believing as he did that Tom was just unused to sharing even the slightest hint of intimacy with a man, but it had hurt, and Chakotay had found himself getting more upset and frustrated as the day had progressed. Now, as he felt Amshev's hands sliding slowly down his back to grasp his cheeks, and the Nahldarian's erection rubbing tantalisingly against his own, Chakotay decided to give in to the desire to vent some of his pent-up emotions.

'It's not as though Tom will care, anyway,' Chakotay thought, running his hands over Amshev's hips and down the Nahldarian's thighs. 'Because Tom isn't interested in me, and I know now that he's never likely to be. He's made that pretty clear all day. All the hopes and dreams I've ever had have gone. He's quashed them all.' And with that thought, Chakotay's mind shut down. Moving his hands to Amshev's back, he let his feelings take over.

From the bar, Tom watched as Chakotay moved his head from Amshev's shoulder, brushing his lips over the Nahldarian's neck and tracing a path to his mouth. Tom saw Amshev's lips curve up in a satisfied smile just before Chakotay's mouth touched his, and then, slowly and deeply, the two men began to kiss.

In a state of shocked disbelief, Tom swallowed hard and watched them, a feeling of intense jealousy rising up inside him and making him dizzy. He grabbed a nearby chair and slumped into it, unable to tear his gaze away from the men on the dance floor as they continued to kiss, their hands roaming fervently over each other's bodies. Tom shook his head as he tried hard to comprehend what he was seeing, and that's when it dawned on him - this wasn't Chakotay's first encounter with a man. The realisation hit Tom like a sledgehammer.

Ever since the day Tom had joined the Maquis, he'd been attracted to the strong, quiet man who had become Voyager's First Officer. He'd never let Chakotay know how he felt though, convinced that the older man was only interested in women. He thought he would never stand a chance with the handsome, dark-haired man, because he believed a relationship with another male would be out of the question for Chakotay. Not once had Tom seen Chakotay show even the remotest interest in any of the men on Voyager, and that had served to further convince Tom that his assessment of the man had been correct.

With heartbreaking clarity, Tom realised now that all his assumptions had been false. Chakotay clearly *was* interested in men. But, as he thought back over the day, it became clear in Tom's mind that Chakotay had no interest in *him* at all, that Chakotay had been reluctant to even touch him. In his present state of confusion and all-consuming jealousy, Tom convinced himself that Chakotay had purposefully gone out of his way to avoid physical contact with him because of a lack of attraction.

'He only touched me because he had to,' Tom thought, as he saw Amshev's hand slip almost unnoticed inside the front of Chakotay's pants. 'And it was because of the mission, not because he wanted to,' Tom continued to himself, completely unaware of the inaccuracy of his thoughts, and, therefore, the real reason for Chakotay's perceived lack of interest. 'He's not being so restrained now, though. Not now he's found someone who really turns him on.'

Although Tom had longed for physical contact, on those occasions when Chakotay *had* touched him, Tom had steeled himself against the electrifying effect of Chakotay's warm skin on his. He'd distanced himself from his feelings, trying to keep his true passion for Chakotay hidden, as he'd resolved to do that morning. It never occurred to him that Chakotay's reactions to him might have been different if he'd given the older man any reason to believe that he was interested in him.

'I'm obviously not his type,' Tom thought, watching Chakotay pull Amshev even closer. 'And I bet if I *had* got the chance to kiss him, Chakotay would never have kissed me the way he's kissing that Nahldarian. I'll never experience that.'

Tom watched the Nahldarian's hand gently moving inside Chakotay's pants, caressing and stroking him intimately, and he came to the depressing conclusion that Chakotay would always be out of his reach, that Chakotay would never be anything more to him than his superior officer. Tom sighed heavily, turning away from the dance floor and resting his head on the bar. Seeing Chakotay in the arms of another man hurt him more than he'd thought possible, and tears stung his eyes. He closed them, unwilling to view any more of Amshev's actions.

In the almost oppressive atmosphere of the dark room, Chakotay swayed in time to the irresistible beat of the alien music, a feeling of warmth and contentment flowing through him. Amshev's hands gently worked their way up Chakotay's body, stroking his chest firmly before moving to his face. The Nahldarian lightly brushed his fingers across the Commander's cheeks, and Chakotay opened his eyes and smiled. Amshev grinned back happily, then pulled Chakotay in for another long, deep kiss, before whispering in his ear. "It is time," he said, dropping his hands to Chakotay's waist and nodding towards a dark alcove to one side of the bar. "Over there. Come."

Chakotay looked where Amshev had indicated, and, as he did, he caught a quick glimpse of Tom. He frowned slightly, wondering briefly why Tom was sitting with his head resting on the counter, but before he could contemplate the situation further, Amshev's arm slipped around his shoulders and the Nahldarian led Chakotay to the alcove.

"Now, Chayelah," Amshev said, addressing Chakotay by his assumed Nahldarian name. "Permit me to give you what you want and need."


	3. Chapter 3

"What's the matter, Tom?" Chakotay asked quietly. He looked down at the younger man, Tom's head still resting on the bar. "Are you tired?"

For a moment, Tom couldn't answer. His mind was still filled with unwanted visions, things that he'd inadvertently seen. A glass being placed next to him on the counter a short while ago had disturbed him, and he'd looked up to be confronted by the sight of Chakotay being led into an alcove by Amshev.

He'd seen Amshev turning Chakotay to face the wall; seen him stand behind Chakotay, pressing against him and slipping his arms around Chakotay's waist. He'd watched, through his tears, as Amshev had kissed and licked Chakotay's neck; saw the alien's hands drop to Chakotay's pants and ease them down, releasing Chakotay's erection into the room's warm air.

In his mind, Tom could still see Chakotay reaching back to grasp at Amshev, pulling him closer as he tipped his head back to rest on the Nahldarian's shoulder; hear, as the music had dropped, Chakotay's soft moans and Amshev whispering, 'So good, Chayelah. So good.'

Tom swallowed hard and sat up, looking at Chakotay's flushed face; the older man's recent pleasure was still evident in his features. Again, an intense feeling of jealousy coursed through Tom, but he tried to ignore it, returning his gaze to the bar before mentally shaking himself. His Starfleet training began to emerge then, and he managed to drag his thoughts back to their mission. "Yeah, I'm tired," Tom muttered, rubbing his eyes. "It's been a long day. Let's find out about Telsesh, then get out of here."

"Okay," Chakotay agreed. "Amshev's just gone to the bathroom. When he gets back, I'll ask him about Telsesh. We'll go to our hotel then, and you can sleep."

"He's called 'Amshev', is he?" Tom asked coolly. "What else d'you know about him?"

"Not much yet," Chakotay answered, sinking down into a chair next to Tom. "We haven't really talked."

"No, I don't suppose you have. It's a bit difficult when someone's got their tongue down your throat, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Chakotay replied with a grin. He felt totally relaxed now and Tom's sarcasm was completely lost on him. He briefly closed his eyes before looking around, scanning the room for Amshev. He smiled as he saw the Nahldarian appear, emerging from a door to his left and walking towards the bar.

"Chayelah," Amshev said as he stopped next to Chakotay and placed a hand on the Commander's shoulder. He looked at Tom, inspecting him slowly from head to toe. "Your mate is most beautiful. Please, introduce me to him," he said to Chakotay.

For a moment, Chakotay looked slightly puzzled. He glanced at Tom, then a flicker of understanding flashed across his face. Chakotay smiled at Tom, then returned his attention to Amshev. "This is Temospah," Chakotay said as he nodded in Tom's direction. "He is my life-mate."

Tom's breathing caught as he heard Chakotay's words, and he gripped the edge of the bar tightly, a painful longing making his chest hurt. Even after witnessing Chakotay's antics with Amshev, Tom fervently wished that the older man had meant what he'd said; that he and Chakotay really were bonded.

"Temospah, you are very lucky to be mated to Chayelah. He is a very responsive lover," Amshev remarked, sitting down opposite Tom. "You should take good care of him."

Tom took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before replying. He didn't quite understand why Amshev would make such a comment. After all, the alien had just made love to the man he obviously believed was Tom's mate. "I try," Tom whispered, dropping his gaze to the floor as he attempted to make sense of the situation.

"Yes, I am sure that you do," the Nahldarian said, touching Tom's knee gently. "But you must try harder. Chayelah deserves the best. You must give him everything that he desires."

"And what about my desires?" Tom asked, looking up sharply, momentarily forgetting that he was only playing a role. Tom stared into the Nahldarian's dark eyes for a moment, then turned away quickly as he remembered that he wasn't really Chakotay's mate. He could feel his face heating up as he flushed with embarrassment at his lapse. Neither Chakotay or Amshev seemed to notice though.

"Your desires will be quenched as you give yourself, and of yourself, to the one you promised to share your life with," Amshev said quietly. "You should desire nothing more than to make Chayelah happy."

"I'd like to make him happy," Tom murmured, mostly to himself.

"Good, Temospah. Now take your mate home and make love to him," Amshev instructed. "He will respond to all your touches tonight."

Tom's heart sank and he closed his eyes, once more trying to displace images of Chakotay and Amshev from his mind, replacing them with the dreams he'd had of Chakotay and himself together. His attempts were interrupted by Chakotay's voice. "We cannot leave yet, Amshev," he said. "We need to find Telsesh."

"Why?" Amshev asked sharply. "Telsesh is not here."

The Nahldarians tone of voice filtered through to Tom, and he looked up at him. "Do you know Telsesh? Where he is?"

Amshev snorted, and looked annoyed. "Of course I know him," he replied, leaning back in his chair and staring at Tom. "He will be here tomorrow, just after the sun has risen. But why do you wish to see Telsesh? I am here."

Chakotay shifted forward and stroked Amshev's thigh, getting his attention. "We need to speak with him. There's something that only he can help us with," Chakotay said softly.

Amshev sighed loudly, and Tom noted that there appeared to be tears in the alien's eyes. "I understand," Amshev said dejectedly. "It is your right to approach whomever you please. He is very good. I am sure he will help you."

"What is it that he's very good at?" Tom asked, puzzled.

Amshev never replied. He just glared angrily at Tom, then rose wordlessly, and walked away without a backwards glance. Tom looked over at Chakotay and frowned, totally perplexed by the Nahldarian's reaction.

"Looks like we'll have to come back tomorrow, then," Chakotay remarked, standing. "Come on, Tom, it's late. Let's get back to our hotel," he said, seemingly unperturbed by Amshev's hasty departure. "Amshev set you a task, if you remember. You're supposed to make love to me," he grinned.

Tom stood up quickly and looked Chakotay in the eye. "Oh, yeah?" he snapped, anger momentarily winning out over his desire for the older man. "Well, fuck you, Chakotay! You're not gonna treat me the same way you treated Amshev. *He* may be willing to be your little sex toy, but *I'm* certainly not. I've got a bit more self-respect than that. No-one's gonna use *me*."

"Lower your voice, Paris," Chakotay instructed calmly, looking around to see if anyone had heard Tom's outburst. "And for your information," he continued. "I wasn't intending to 'use' you. I thought you could take a joke, but I was obviously wrong. Now, if you've finished ranting and raving, let's leave before we draw attention to ourselves. We *are* on a mission, or had you forgotten?"

"No. *I* hadn't forgotten," Tom remarked pointedly. He turned away from Chakotay and headed for the door, leaving the older man frowning and staring after him. Chakotay quickly recovered from his state of bewilderment though, and followed Tom through the crowd, stepping back into the passageway that led upwards to the main club area.

They walked in silence along the deserted corridor, re-entering the other dark, and crowded room a few moments later. Tom strode purposefully towards the exit, still furious over Chakotay's comments and the older man's encounter with the Nahldarian. He knew his anger was irrational because he had no claim over Chakotay, but that fact didn't ease his feelings in the slightest. He was jealous and hurt, and Chakotay's 'joke' had proved to him just how little Chakotay cared, and that Chakotay's view of him was as a source of amusement; that the Commander saw *him* as a 'joke'.

Tom stepped out into the street, bumping into a couple who were standing close to the door, tightly wound around each other as they kissed passionately. He muttered a quick apology, but the pair didn't hear him, so he turned away from them and looked around, trying to get his bearings.

"This way," Chakotay said, slipping his arm around Tom's shoulder and lightly tugging him in the right direction.

Tom stiffened and tried to move away, but Chakotay held him tight. "Get your hands off me, Chakotay," Tom hissed as the older man pulled him a little closer.

"Listen, Lieutenant," Chakotay said quietly, bringing his face to within inches of Tom's. "We have to blend in, you know that. We have to look convincing, we can't risk being recognised. Now, stop fighting me. That's an order."

Reluctantly, Tom obeyed, grudgingly allowing the Commander's one-armed embrace as they set off in the direction of their hotel.

The streets were as crowded as they had been that morning, but it was noisier now, due to the fact that most of the Nahldarians they passed had spent a lot of the day indulging in the area's speciality; the intoxicating beverage that the two officers had also consumed during their tour of the clubs. Several times, drunken Nahldarians staggered out of rowdy bars and bumped into them, and each time Chakotay pulled Tom a little closer, his arm now around the younger man's waist, and his hand lightly stroking Tom's hip. They walked slowly on, weaving their way through the crowd until they reached the entrance to a quiet alley that ran between two brightly lit buildings.

Chakotay nodded towards the passageway, then tugged Tom in, stopping just inside and pushing the younger man back against the wall closest to them. The action took Tom completely by surprise, and it didn't fully register what was happening until Chakotay pressed into him, his body pinning Tom in position as the older man's mouth found his neck.

"What the hell d'you think you're doing?" Tom demanded. He brought his hands to Chakotay's chest and pushed hard, but couldn't move the heavier man.

"Shh, Tom," Chakotay murmured as Tom struggled against him. "Let me kiss you." He moved his lips from Tom's neck and tried to capture the younger man's mouth, but Tom twisted away from him. "Tom, please. We're supposed to be a couple. Kiss me," he insisted.

"Is that another order, *Commander*?" Tom questioned, giving Chakotay another shove, but still failing to budge him.

"Yes, Lieutenant. It's an order. We need to keep up appearances in case any of Kenthah's men are watching us." He took hold of Tom's head and pulled him round until they were face to face. "Now," he said quietly, "kiss me."

Tom swallowed hard, his emotions in turmoil. For years, he'd dreamed of kissing Chakotay, although not like this; not under orders. But if he refused, he knew he could be putting their lives in danger. It was quite possible that Kenthah's men *were* watching them, and Tom couldn't ignore that possibility. Although still upset, he resigned himself to the situation, closing his eyes as Chakotay leaned forward and began to gently kiss him, the older man's hands still gripping Tom's head.

At first, Tom refused to participate, just allowing the other man to do as he wanted, but as Chakotay's tongue urged his lips apart, Tom succumbed, and started to kiss back. Chakotay moaned into Tom's mouth as he felt the younger man responding to him. He grabbed Tom's hips as he pressed into him, his erection finding its gradually hardening counterpart.

Tom groaned, unconsciously thrusting forward to increase the contact as the kiss deepened and Chakotay began to rub against him. It felt good, but a few minutes later, when Chakotay's hand slipped between their bodies and grasped his erection, awareness returned, and Tom broke the kiss. "Please don't," he pleaded softly. "Please, Chakotay."

"What's wrong, Tom?" Chakotay questioned, still moving against the younger man. He looked at Tom with a puzzled frown on his face. "Don't you like it?" he asked.

"We don't need to do this, Chakotay," Tom said calmly. Most of his anger had been tempered by the unexpected heat of Chakotay's kiss, and all that remained was annoyance at himself for giving in so easily to Chakotay's advances. There was a small amount of confusion in his mind too, though, and Tom scrutinised Chakotay's flushed face. The way the older man had responded to his plea had been odd. It was as though Chakotay had forgotten that all they were meant to be doing was putting on a show for any potential observers. "Let's just get back to our hotel," Tom suggested, thinking that maybe a good night's sleep might be beneficial to the Commander.

Chakotay smiled. "That's a good idea, Tom. We'll be more comfortable there." He leaned in and gave Tom a soft kiss, then pulled away, taking hold of Tom's hand and leading him back onto the street.

The walk to the hotel continued in silence for most of the way, with Chakotay holding Tom's hand tightly. Occasionally though, Chakotay would stop and pull Tom close, placing a gentle kiss on his lips, or nuzzling his neck, before tugging Tom onward again. To the Nahldarians around them, Chakotay's actions were nothing unusual, but by the time they reached the entrance to their building, Tom was more baffled than ever by Chakotay's behaviour. It was as if Chakotay was really enjoying the intimate touches. Growing more concerned about his commanding officer, Tom allowed Chakotay to lead him inside, and up the stairs to their room.

As the door closed behind them, Chakotay turned around to face Tom, his eyes dark with desire as he stepped closer to the younger man. He reached out, grasping Tom by the shoulders, then leaned forward and once more claimed his lips.

"Chakotay, no-one's gonna see us in *here*. We don't need to pretend any longer," Tom stated as he pulled away, closely studying the obviously aroused man. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked as he noted a bead of sweat roll down Chakotay's face, following the ridge that curved down from the Commander's left eye.

"I feel fine, Tom," Chakotay answered softly. "In fact, I feel more than fine. Come to bed with me, and I'll show you just how fine I feel." He walked across to the bed, and sat down on the edge as he began to remove his shirt. Tom watched in silence, now even more convinced that something was wrong.

"Aren't you going to get undressed, Tom?" Chakotay asked, undoing the loose pants he wore. "It's more fun without clothes."

"I'm sure it is," Tom remarked, walking to the couch. "But we're not gonna find out. I'm sleeping here tonight."

"Oh, come on, Tom. Don't be like that. Get your clothes off and join me in bed," Chakotay said, throwing his pants to the floor and lying back naked, his erection weeping as he gently stroked it. "I can make it another order if I have to," he added.

"Then, I'll just have to disobey you, Commander," Tom said, settling down fully clothed on the couch, and closing his eyes. "I told you I wasn't gonna let anyone use me, and I'm not. Goodnight, Chakotay."

"Tom...."

"I said, *goodnight*, Chakotay," Tom said forcefully, cutting the other man off before he could object to Tom's dismissal of him. "We'll talk in the morning."

With a frustrated sigh, Chakotay relented. He turned the lights off, then lay staring into the darkness as he listened to the sounds that filtered into the room from the street below. He was still aroused though, and as he gripped his erection more firmly, his hand continued its slow and purposeful movements.

On the couch, Tom lay bewildered by the day's events. It had hurt him to witness Chakotay's encounter with Amshev, and he'd been deeply affected by the unexpected advances Chakotay had made towards *him*, but he couldn't fathom out what had caused the normally reserved Commander to act the way he had.

As he pondered the situation, a soft sound and a quietly murmured word caught his attention. Forcing himself into what would be a fitful sleep, Tom had one last thought before he drifted off. 

'Just why the hell did Chakotay call out *my* name when he came?'


	4. Chapter 4

Tom woke up to be greeted by a stiff and aching back, the night on the couch having taken its toll on him. He slowly rolled over and sat up, his muscles protesting even the most careful of movements. Gently rolling his head from side to side to work the kinks from his neck, he glanced across to the bed.

Chakotay was still asleep, his naked body face-down on top of the covers, and he was snoring softly. Tom allowed his gaze to travel freely over the Commander's smooth, dark skin, appreciating the sight as he thought back to the previous day, and the strange behaviour Chakotay had exhibited. 

Frowning, Tom got up and approached the bed, his still-clothed body warmed further by the bright early morning sunshine that streamed in through the window. Looking the older man over carefully, he attempted to reconcile the normally quiet and understanding First Officer with the man who had forcefully pinned him to the wall, then made it an order that they should kiss. 

Tom found it was a difficult thing to do. He'd never known Chakotay to behave that way before, and the only reason he could think of that might account for it, was the amount of liquor they'd consumed as they'd made their way from bar to bar. 

Sighing, Tom's thoughts turned towards Amshev, and the way the alien had intimately touched the man now lying in front of him. Why had Chakotay allowed it? Had it all been part of the mission? Tom was confused. The older man had shown no interest in *him* until after the encounter with Amshev, then Chakotay had been all over him as they'd made their way back to the hotel. Why?

Shaking his head, perplexed, Tom wondered whether Chakotay would be back to his normal self when he awoke. Most of him hoped so, although there was a part that longed for a continuation of the attention he'd received from the older man the night before. Chakotay's kisses, and the man's firm, aroused body pressed against his, had felt good, and Tom felt himself begin to harden at the memory. He looked again at the sleeping form on the bed, feeling an almost irresistible urge to reach out and gently stroke Chakotay's soft-looking skin, and wanting to run his fingers through the long hair that had partly fallen across Chakotay's face, hiding most of his altered features. 

With another sigh, Tom resisted the temptation. He'd already touched Chakotay once before while he slept, and felt guilty that he'd taken advantage of the man. He wasn't about to do that a second time; it wasn't right. If he wasn't going to allow Chakotay to use *him*, there was no way he would use Chakotay. With one last lingering look at the man he'd wanted for so long, Tom reluctantly moved away and made his way to the bathroom. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Tom returned, the bed was empty, and there was no sign of the Commander. The clothes that Chakotay had taken off the night before and left on the floor had gone, and the bed was neatly made. Tom frowned and looked around, eventually wandering over to the window to gaze out at the street below.

The scene was the same as the previous morning. A bustling crowd of Nahldarians filled the pavements, their exuberance hardly diminished by their lack of sleep, their only goal being to enjoy themselves as much as possible while in Velator. 

The tables and chairs in front of the building were almost all taken, occupied by happy couples eating breakfast, and enjoying each other's company. Tom smiled as one pair in particular caught his eye; two young women feeding each other from plates that overflowed with exotic-looking fruit, giggling as they competed to cram as much as they could into the other's mouth, while juice ran down their chins to drip onto their already-stained clothes. Tom smiled at the sight again, then turned his attention elsewhere. 

There was a figure standing to one side of the paved area, his features obscured in shadow, but Tom immediately knew who it was. During their years on Voyager, and his keen studying of the older man, Tom had seen Chakotay in enough situations to be able to identify him under almost any circumstances, and this one was no exception. He didn't need the help of the sunlight to know that the man standing alone, and with a decidedly unhappy posture, was the man he'd been in love with since their first meeting. Unsure of what sort of reception he'd receive, Tom decided he would go down and see if Chakotay was okay. 

Arriving at the front of the building, Tom was pleased to see that Chakotay was still in the same place, although the Commander's head was bowed, and he seemed to be intensely studying the ground by his feet. Tom stepped closer, squinting slightly as the sun's bright rays hit him full in the face, feeling nervous about what to say to Chakotay, and how to say it.

A movement, and the sudden darkening of the bright patch of ground to his right, caught Chakotay's attention, and he looked up to see Tom just a few feet away from him, and moving closer. Chakotay's eyes closed briefly, and he sighed. He'd left the hotel room while Tom was in the shower, hoping to have some time alone in which to sort out his thoughts. He'd woken up with vivid recollections of the previous evening, and shame at his actions had flooded him. He couldn't believe he'd acted the way he had, especially towards Tom, and despite his efforts to come up with some rational explanation for his behaviour, he couldn't. Nothing would seem to explain it. Not even the amount of alcohol he and Tom had consumed. Chakotay was no stranger to drink, even if others thought he was, but it had never had such an effect on him before that he had behaved so far out of character, and that concerned him deeply. 

"Is everything okay, Chakotay?" 

Tom's hesitant voice broke through Chakotay's thoughts, and he nodded briskly, his eyes riveted on a spot somewhere beyond Tom's left shoulder. Knowing he really should apologise, but unsure how to do it, Chakotay automatically shifted into First Officer mode. "Everything's fine, Lieutenant. Let's get on with our mission." He started walking off almost before Tom had chance to process what he'd said.

"Hold on a minute. We've not even had breakfast yet," Tom protested, his annoyance at Chakotay's abruptness showing in his voice. 

Chakotay's pace never slowed, and his gaze remained fixed on the street ahead of him. "We'll get something later," he responded as Tom caught up with him. "We need to find Telsesh as soon as possible."

"Telsesh?" Tom queried. "Or do you mean Amshev?" he asked, a hint of the previous evening's jealousy flickering inside him, growing stronger as he stared at the impassive face of the man hurrying along beside him. "Perhaps it's *him* you're in such a hurry to see. Maybe you can't wait to reacquaint yourself with your little sex toy."

Chakotay stopped and turned towards the Lieutenant, his face a mixture of barely controlled anger and embarrassment. "I don't give a damn what you think, Paris. Just follow orders, and keep your comments to yourself." He stalked off again, ignoring the looks he was getting from some of the couples around them.

Tom stood still a moment, wondering what the hell had possessed him to talk to Chakotay like that, before he finally noticed the stares he was getting from curious onlookers. Realising that Chakotay's reaction to his accusations had drawn attention to them, Tom set off at a jog and once again caught up with the Commander. "We seem to have attracted an audience," he whispered nervously as he caught hold of Chakotay's arm. 

Chakotay sighed, then slowed his pace, the welcome touch of Tom's hand warring with his anger at both the younger man and himself, and he stopped again, the significance of Tom's observation sinking in. The area they were in was for couples; happy, contented couples. Nahldarians never argued with each other in public, so he and Tom couldn't either. It was vital for them to maintain their cover at all costs. 

Chakotay slipped his arm around Tom's waist. "For the sake of the mission, and our own safety, we'll continue to the club like this," he announced, his face showing none of the turmoil that he felt inside.

Tom nodded, relieved that Chakotay seemed to be ignoring his unwarranted jealous outburst, and he copied Chakotay's action, placing his own arm around the Commander's waist. Then, both feeling awkward, but no longer attracting unnecessary attention, they walked the rest of the way to the bar in silence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That door doesn't actually look as though it's in general use," Tom commented as he and Chakotay stood to one side of the club's main room, looking across at the door they'd been taken through the previous night. "D'you think it'd be okay to just enter, or are we supposed to wait for an invitation again?"

Chakotay shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure, Tom. Let's get a drink and just observe for now," he answered. "If we see others using it without an escort, then we'll chance it, too. Come on," he instructed, and started off towards the nearby bar.

Tom nodded, and followed, pleased that Chakotay was back to calling him 'Tom', and not 'Paris' or 'Lieutenant', and he hoped he wouldn't slip up again, and make another stupid comment. He could see by the way the Commander had acted so far that the older man was obviously embarrassed by what he'd done the night before, and he didn't want to add to his discomfort. Something had caused Chakotay to act out of character, and Tom decided he would try his best not to lash out verbally at the Commander for something that he was positive could in no way be the man's own fault.

Stopping at the bar, Tom put his thoughts to one side and turned to face Chakotay. "What would you like, Chayelah?" he asked, aware of the bartender just a few feet away. "The same as yesterday?"

"No," Chakotay answered quickly. "I think I'll just have fruit juice." He looked away then, deliberately avoiding Tom's gaze, and fixed his attention on the door they intended to watch.

Tom nodded to himself, realising that Chakotay was erring on the side of caution in case the alcohol they'd consumed before had been to blame for how he'd acted. He smiled at the bartender. "Two glasses of bevnah juice, please," he requested, opting for something he knew was safe to drink as they'd been served the sweet, pale pink juice as part of their breakfast the previous morning. He handed over his payment card, then took the drinks from the bar tender, replacing the card in his pocket when the Nahldarian returned it a few moments later. "There you go, Chayelah," he said, handing one of the small glasses to Chakotay. "Enjoy."

Chakotay took the proffered glass, and smiled slightly. "Thank you, Temospah," he replied softly, then took a small sip of his drink.

"Excuse me. You are Chayelah, yes?" a voice quietly queried from behind Chakotay.

Chakotay and Tom both turned around, and found themselves face to face with a familiar looking Nahldarian dressed in a similar fashion to the way Amshev had been attired, although the man's loose clothing was deep pink rather than red. He smiled at them. "And I believe you are Temospah, is that correct?" he continued, addressing Tom.

"Telsesh," Chakotay stated, holding out his hand. "It's good to see you again."

"It is," the Nahldarian agreed, briefly taking Chakotay's hand in his. "But I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. When I visited your ship, none of the crew were disguised as members of my species, therefore, although you recognise *me*, I do not know *your* real identities. I was only informed of your fake Nahldarian names, and not your true given ones."

"Our real names are not important," Chakotay said with a small smile. "But if all you knew were our assumed names, how did you recognise us?" he asked.

"From our security monitors," Telsesh replied, gesturing towards one of the small, almost hidden objects above the bar. "Amshev told me that you were here last night, and that you were looking for me; he pointed you out on the surveillance recordings."

"Oh," Chakotay muttered, Amshev's name reminding him too vividly of things that he was ashamed of doing.

"It would not be advisable to continue our discussion here. Let us go to the other room," Telsesh suggested. "Come with me." 

Chakotay and Tom quickly finished their drinks, and then once again they were led through the door that was situated close to the bar, and along the passageway to the secluded room. 

Once inside, Telsesh ushered them towards a table at the back, and indicated that they should sit together, facing him. "We must be careful," he said quietly, once he'd taken his seat. "You know that I am still employed by Kenthah, but just recently this club has had several unannounced visits from other members of his staff."

Tom glanced around swiftly. "Is that why you didn't turn up at the arranged rendezvous site?" he asked, returning his gaze to Telsesh.

"Yes, Temospah. That is the reason," the Nahldarian confirmed. "After I returned from your ship, I noticed that almost everywhere I went, another of Kenthah's men seemed to be nearby. I could not take the risk that I would be followed if I tried to meet you. I had to trust that you would be able to find *me*, and not the other way around. I did not know what you looked like until Amshev pointed you out, so hopefully Kenthah will also be ignorant in that regard. If he or his men see me talking to you now, here, in this place, they will think little of it." 

Telsesh shifted forward in his seat and turned his attention to Chakotay. "Even if you were not recognised, it is quite possible that you *were* seen here last night, but the fact that you were with Amshev will have thrown any observer off your scent. They will not be suspicious of someone who was so intimate with my colleague. That was a very clever move on your part."

Chakotay visibly paled at Telsesh' words, and he stood up almost before the Nahldarian had finished speaking. "I'll be back in a moment," he said, avoiding both men's eyes. "I need the bathroom." With that, he quickly walked off, leaving Tom to deal with Telsesh, alone.

"I must say I was surprised by your friend's actions last night; and yours also," Telsesh remarked as Chakotay disappeared from view.

"*My* actions?" Tom questioned, totally in the dark about what the Nahldarian was referring to. "What do you mean?"

"Well, as I said to Chayelah, his interaction with Amshev was a clever move. Kenthah's men would not have taken much notice of someone using the services of a Vlenkla, especially as that Vlenkla was not me. And as for you, well, I can see by the way you look at Chayelah that you care for him a great deal, so it must have been hard on you during that session; I have reviewed the evening's security recordings, and so I know everything that occurred. I was unaware that you had so much knowledge of our ways. That you obviously do, surprises me."

Tom shuffled his chair forward, a deep frown on his face. "Telsesh, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about," he stated. "Just what does this term 'Vlenkla' mean?"

"You really don't know?" Telsesh asked, surprised. 

Tom shook his head. "No, I don't. Perhaps you can explain it to me." 

"I will try," the Nahldarian responded. "Although I do not understand why Chayelah would accept Amshev's offer if he had no knowledge of the nature of a Vlenkla's services."

"Amshev never made any offer," Tom said, springing to Chakotay's defence. "He just led us to this room, gave us a drink each, then took Chayelah on to the dance floor."

"But Amshev must have asked you if you were looking for a Vlenkla," Telsesh insisted. "He would not have brought you to this room if you had not indicated that you required his services."

"No, he never mentioned the word 'Vlenkla'. Amshev just took Chayelah's hand and said that he believed Chayelah was looking for someone."

"Ah, I see. And you did not realise that this was Amshev's invitation to partake of his services," Telsesh said, nodding. 

"That was an invitation?" Tom asked, disbelievingly. He shook his head, then leaned back in his chair. "You really need to explain this to me, Telsesh. What is a 'Vlenkla'? I mean, I take it it's a job description, and I can make a bit of a guess about what kind of job it is, but I'd rather hear *your* explanation. And I'd like to hear it now."

"Of course. But I am unsure where to begin," Telsesh responded. "How much do you actually know about Nahldarian society? Are you aware that when two people become life mates, it is exactly that? That they are bonded for life; they will never part under any circumstances."

"Yes, I know that, but what does that have to do with my question?"

"More than you think," Telsesh answered seriously. "In our society, only those who are mated can hold any sort of high office. And once mated, the law requires couples to stay together. If they become unhappy with each other for any reason, they must sort their problems out as quickly as possible, and in private. If there is any hint of what we regard as scandal, the individuals are publicly stripped of their positions, and suffer the humiliation for the rest of their lives."

"You have very strict rules," Tom commented.

Telsesh nodded. "Yes, we do," he replied. "And that is where the Vlenkla come in. Let me explain. If a couple's problems are with the physical side of their relationship, and they believe their difficulties to be so extreme that they cannot solve them themselves, then they are allowed to obtain help. It is generally frowned upon to have to resort to it, and it is not a subject that Nahldarians speak of as a rule, but in certain circumstances it is permissible for couples with problems to discreetly visit a Vlenkla. This club is one place where meetings between Vlenkla and potential clients can take place with a degree of anonymity."

"So a Vlenkla is some kind of sex therapist?" Tom asked, trying to clarify what Telsesh was saying.

"That would be one interpretation, yes," Telsesh confirmed.

Tom fell silent as he tried to process all the information the Nahldarian had given him, but his thoughts were finally interrupted by Telsesh' voice.

"You look troubled," he observed. "What is it that you do not understand?"

Tom looked up, frowning. "It's probably a different matter altogether, but I just don't know why Chayelah reacted to Amshev the way he did," he said quietly. "It was completely out of character for him."

"And your feelings while the two were together, were they normal for you?" Telsesh asked, reaching across to pat the back of Tom's hand. "Or do you think that your responses to the situation were heightened?"

"What are you getting at?" Tom asked, pulling his hand away. "Were we given something, somehow?"

"Yes," Telsesh replied simply. "You were drugged."


	5. Chapter 5

The room they were in was dimly lit and filled with a low, haunting melody which many couples were dancing to, but Tom took no notice of anything except the Nahldarian in front of him, and the words he'd just spoken. "We were drugged? How?" he demanded angrily as he stared at Telsesh. "And why? Is that usual here?"

"Do not raise your voice, Temospah," Telsesh advised calmly. "Remain quiet, and I will tell you what you want to know."

"Then do it!" Tom hissed. "What the hell were we given, and how?"

Telsesh sighed, then leaned forward, resting his arms on the small table. "You must remember that Amshev believed that you were clients. He had heard that you were looking for me, and as I was not there, he decided to offer his own services," he began quietly. "It was not his fault; just an understandable mistake on both his part and yours. Neither side is to blame for the conclusion that Amshev reached. You accept this, yes?"

"I suppose so," Tom muttered, looking across the room to see if there was any sign of Chakotay returning. The Commander had been gone for over five minutes now, and Tom hoped he would be back soon, although he couldn't even begin to imagine how Chakotay would take the news that they'd both been drugged.

"You will understand, then, that Amshev was just following standard procedures," Telsesh stated, holding one hand up when Tom went to speak. "Let me explain without interruption, Temospah." The Nahldarian continued when Tom nodded. "The drug is given to new clients in order to increase the Vlenkla's effectiveness. Most Nahldarians are reluctant to seek our help even when they know it is probably the only way they will overcome their problems, so to help them relax, amongst other things, a drug is administered without their knowledge."

"In their drinks?" Tom queried.

"Yes. In their drinks," Telsesh confirmed. "Although, the drug does not have the same effect on each person," he added. "You will have noticed that you did not react in the same manner as Chayelah. The drug is a very versatile substance that reacts differently according to the level of physical or mental stimulation that the recipient experiences. That is why Chayelah responded to Amshev in the way he did. The close physical contact that Amshev initiated caused the drug to first banish any negative thoughts that Chayelah might have had, and then lowered his inhibitions, prompting him to seek out sexual pleasure with the Vlenkla. Although, it will undoubtedly set your mind at rest when I tell you that Amshev was only a substitute for *you*, Temospah." 

"What?" Tom asked incredulously. "How do you mean, 'a substitute'?

Telsesh smiled. "It is obvious to me that there is a great deal of attraction and affection between yourself and Chayelah, and Amshev merely tapped into that supply when he was with your partner. A Vlenkla does not create feelings in his client, he only amplifies what the person feels for their life mate. In this case, that life mate is you, Temospah."

"But we're not really a couple," Tom said, frowning. He was taken aback by what Telsesh seemed to be insinuating. Chakotay was attracted to him? Was, perhaps, *more* than just attracted to him? He and Chakotay were, or should be, 'life mates'?. He shook his head, puzzled. "We're just playing a role while we try to recover the parts that Kenthah stole from our ship."

"That may be so, for now," Telsesh remarked. "But it does not change the fact that you both care a great deal for each other, and wish to be together permanently. Tell me," he said, grasping Tom's hand. "How did you feel while your Chayelah was with Amshev. Did it upset you?"

Tom snorted, remembering just how much the previous evening's events had affected him. "Yeah," he replied softly. "It upset me a lot. I was so jealous all the time they were together, and I don't feel much better about it this morning, despite the fact that I decided last night that Chayelah wasn't responsible for his actions." 

"That is to be expected; the drug heightened your reactions. It would not have done so if you did not love Chayelah as much as you do."

Tom looked shocked. He was glad now that Chakotay hadn't been there to hear Telsesh' remarks. As far as Tom was concerned, there was no way that Telsesh could be right; not about Chakotay's feelings for *him*, anyway, although the Nahldarian had obviously noticed his feelings for Chakotay. But what would Chakotay think of Telsesh' claims? Tom doubted the older man would be pleased to hear that his subordinate, one Lieutenant Tom Paris, was deeply in love with him. And then to hear that Telsesh believed Chakotay was in love with Tom would upset the man still further, Tom was sure of it. 

Tom shook his head, unable to sort out his conflicting ideas, and despite the fact that he was pleased the older man had missed the conversation, he wondered again where Chakotay had got to. The minutes were ticking by and the Commander really should have returned. "I think I'll go and look for Chayelah," Tom said, removing his hand from under the Nahldarian's, then getting up. "He's been gone quite a while. I'll explain about the Vlenkla to him, myself, and then when we get back, we'll all discuss Voyager's missing components. After all, that *is* what we actually came here to find out about."

"Very well. I will wait for you here," Telsesh said, nodding. "But do not be too long. If Kenthah's men see my 'clients' acting outside of what is normal, they will become suspicious of you. Find Chayelah quickly, and bring him back."

"Okay. I won't be long," Tom answered. He nodded at Telsesh, then set off in the same direction that Chakotay had gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tom entered the rest room to find that he was the only occupant; Chakotay was nowhere around. Puzzled, he stood in front of the mirror and stared vacantly at his own reflection, his mind whirring madly as he wondered where the older man could be. His concern grew as he sorted through the thoughts that filled his head.

He'd continually scanned the outer room from the moment he'd left Telsesh, so there was no way Chakotay could have made it back to their table without Tom seeing him. He remembered the look on Chakotay's face as he'd walked away, and considered the possibility that Chakotay had been so embarrassed by the way Telsesh had spoken about his actions with Amshev that he'd decided, on the spur of the moment, to head back to the hotel. Tom had to admit to himself, though, that this scenario was unlikely to be correct. Even if Chakotay *was* feeling highly embarrassed, Tom knew, really, that it wasn't a good enough reason for the Commander to abandon the mission. Chakotay was too professional in his attitude for that. 

Tom stood for a few moments more, trying to calm himself, and silently cursing the fact that he couldn't contact Chakotay via their comm badges. Nahldar's planet-wide shield not only prevented them from contacting Voyager but also interfered with short range communications, making their comm badges redundant for now. Tom was thankful, though, that Tuvok had insisted the Doc fit them both with subdermally implanted homing devices as a precaution, because that at least gave him one option for locating the Commander.

Tom considered removing his tricorder from it's place hidden away in the lining of his pants, to see if Chakotay's whereabouts would register on it, but, remembering the surveillance equipment in use in the club, he decided against it until he found an area free from the hard-to-spot cameras; it was imperative to keep his true identity, and the technology he was carrying, concealed from whoever might see the recordings. With this in mind, Tom decided the only option open to him at the moment was to go back and talk to Telsesh.

Taking a last glance in the mirror, Tom headed for the first of two doors that separated him from the main room. He stepped out, desperately trying to control the uneasy feeling that Chakotay's disappearance had generated in him as he quickly made his way back to where Telsesh was still seated. Telsesh looked up, frowning, as Tom approached. "Temospah? Where is Chayelah?" the Nahldarian queried as Tom sank down on the chair opposite him again. 

"I don't know. I couldn't find him," Tom replied anxiously. "He wasn't in the rest room, and he never passed me on the way. I'm really worried, Telsesh; it's not like him to just disappear like this." He looked earnestly at the Nahldarian. "I need your help. I need to go somewhere that isn't monitored by the security cameras."

"For what purpose?" Telsesh asked, puzzled.

"I need to scan for his life-signs; to see if he's still in the area. But I don't want the technology I'm using to be recorded. So, is there somewhere in the club that isn't monitored?" Tom asked, deciding to keep the knowledge of the homing devices to himself for now. 

Telsesh nodded and got to his feet. "Come with me," he instructed. Tom stood, and followed the Nahldarian around the edge of the crowded dance floor, then through a door which led up a narrow flight of stairs and took them to the surveillance control centre. It was an automated zone, the recordings only kept for review in case of problems, and no-one was there. The Nahldarian ushered Tom inside, quickly closing the door behind them. "Now, Temospah, run your scan while I find the recordings for the room downstairs. I will try to locate Chayelah on them."

"Thank you," Tom said, gratefully. 

As Telsesh crossed to the control panel and began calling up the required information, Tom took out his tricorder and switched it on. A feeling of dread ran through him as he looked at the display; there was no trace of Chakotay. He closed his eyes, attempting to push down the panic that threatened to overwhelm him as he attempted to find reasons for the negative readout. Perhaps the shield didn't just affect communications, maybe it was interfering with the scan, too; perhaps Chakotay *had* set off for the hotel and was out of range; perhaps....

"Temospah, I have located him." 

Tom switched off the tricorder, hurriedly pushing it back into its hiding place as he quickly crossed to the Nahldarian's side. "Where?" he asked.

Telsesh pointed to the monitor in front of him, and the clear picture that showed Chakotay walking away from the table they'd all shared. "I need to switch to the next camera now," he stated, pressing a few buttons. The next image came up, and after a few seconds, Chakotay came into view, heading for the rest room's outer door.

"Are there security cameras in the rest room too?" Tom queried as he watched the door close behind Chakotay.

"In the main area, yes," Telsesh answered, trying to find the relevant recording. "Although, obviously, we respect our clients' privacy and do not monitor elsewhere." The next pictures appeared on the screen, and Telsesh frowned. He tapped at the controls, checking the time of the recording, then glanced at Tom. "I do not understand," he said, pointing to the image of an empty room. "The time index is correct, but Chayelah is not there."

"Are you *sure* you've got the right recording?" Tom asked worriedly. 

"I am positive," Telsesh confirmed. "I started the playback at the precise moment that Chayelah stepped through the outer door. He should have entered the main area by now."

"Then, where is he? Why can't we see him?"

"I do not know," the Nahldarian responded. "Perhaps he changed his mind, and exited without ever entering the monitored area. I will replay the other recording again, but allow it to run on further this time." Telsesh did as he'd said, but there was no sign of Chakotay leaving. "This is most odd," he commented. "Chayelah appears to have just vanished."

A chill ran down Tom's spine as a thought occurred to him. "I think Kenthah might have him," he said quietly. "I think he's somehow transported Chayelah out of here."

"No, no," Telsesh argued. "That is not possible. The shield would prevent transport taking place unless the signal was boosted. That could only happen if the booster was attached directly to Chayelah."

"So, we check all the recordings *again*," Tom said decisively. "There's *got* to be some kind of clue in them." 

Telsesh nodded, and began replaying everything from the moment Chakotay had left the table until he'd entered the rest room. During a second review of the recordings, Tom suddenly grabbed the Nahldarian's arm. "Back a bit, Telsesh," he instructed. "Stop. Just there." He pointed to the screen. "Who's that man there?" he enquired. "The one who brushed past Chayelah."

Telsesh stared at the screen, backing the image up slightly until he got a partial glimpse of the man's face. He looked up at Tom, a serious expression on his face. "I do not know all of Kenthah's men, there are too many of us in his employ to recall every face and name, but this one is familiar to me; his name is Gelvash. He is one of Kenthah's more senior operatives," he reported.

Tom cursed silently. "Can you run it frame by frame? I want to see the exact moment he came into contact with Chayelah. Maybe something will show up that wasn't visible at normal speed."

The screen went blank momentarily while Telsesh reset the recording. "I have set the equipment to play back frame by frame," he said as the image flickered steadily. 

They watched carefully, and after a couple of attempts managed to pause the playback at the moment that Gelvash' hand briefly came into contact with Chakotay's arm. "Can you zoom in on that?" Tom asked. He peered intently at the screen as the selected area filled it. "Now run it forward again," he requested.

The image was a little fuzzy, but as Gelvash removed his hand, a tiny object could be seen on Chakotay's sleeve; something that had not been there previously. Tom swallowed hard as his fears were realised; Gelvash had attached a signal booster to the Commander without him being aware of it. Chakotay had been taken.

Tom slumped down in a nearby chair, his breathing fast and shallow as fear for Chakotay's safety consumed him. He tried to sort his confused thoughts out into some sort of rational order. He had to find a way to locate Chakotay with the very limited means at his disposal; Voyager was unreachable for another two and a half days; the tricorder seemed to be ineffective; the comm badges were useless. All that remained was whatever help Telsesh could provide. Tom prayed that whatever the Nahldarian could supply would be enough. He *had* to get Chakotay back. He looked up when a hand touched him gently on the arm.

"You are not safe here now, Temospah. Kenthah must know who you are. You must stay out of sight."

"I realise that, Telsesh," Tom responded quietly. "But how will I get back to my hotel without either being followed, or transported away like Chayelah? And what about you? Kenthah is obviously aware of your involvement with us; how will you keep *yourself* safe?"

"Leave that to me," the Nahldarian said, shutting down the monitor he'd used. "I have a place that we can go to while I try to find out what has happened to your Chayelah." He patted Tom's shoulder. "Do not worry, we will be safe there, and we *will* find him."

"I hope you're right," Tom said, his voice barely above a whisper. "He's far too important to lose."

"You love him a great deal," Telsesh stated, nodding. He patted Tom's shoulder again. "Come with me, now. There is another exit on this level. We must leave quickly."

"Okay." Tom stood, then followed Telsesh from the room and along the passageway outside, in the opposite direction to where the stairs were. The Nahldarian opened a heavy metal door at the end of the corridor, and they walked out into the bright Velator sunshine, both squinting at the sudden increase in the light level. 

"Quickly," Telsesh said, ushering Tom down the deserted alleyway that they'd emerged into. They walked about a hundred yards before Telsesh stopped in front of a battered-looking blue door that was almost obscured by large wooden crates piled one on top of the other in front of it. "It is the trade entrance to a club affiliated to the one in which I work, although only the owner and myself know the code for it," Telsesh explained as he keyed in the entry sequence on a pad to one side of the door. "I have a room here which Kenthah knows nothing of. I acquired it secretly, and for use in a situation such as the one we find ourselves in now."

"And you're sure the people here can be trusted?" Tom enquired as the door beeped, then swung open. "We're not going to be assaulted the minute we go inside?"

Telsesh smiled. "No, Temospah. We will be perfectly safe here. This door opens on to a secure area that requires further codes for each of the doors that lead off it. A few years ago, I was able to do a pretty large favour for the club's owner; he was extremely grateful, and the room is his way of thanking me." He pushed the door open further. "Come, Temospah. Let us go inside."

Tom nodded, then followed Telsesh through the door, neither man noticing the pair of curious eyes that watched them from a high window in a building on the opposite side of the alleyway.


	6. Chapter 6

Tom paced restlessly. The room that Telsesh had left him in reminded him of a prison cell. The walls were white, and bare of anything except for a small mirror which hung forlornly from an old piece of twine, its ornately carved frame out of place in the starkness of its surroundings. Beneath it, an uncomfortably-hard, black sofa which Tom had perched on for short periods of time during the Nahldarian's absence, took up a large proportion of the floor space. 

Tom looked around, noting again the only other objects in the cheerless room: a tattered paper book in a language that was totally unknown to him, and next to it, a pale blue china mug, both sitting on top of the only piece of furniture besides the sofa - a small, rickety wooden table. There wasn't even a window, Tom mused. The only light in the place came from a softly glowing panel set into the ceiling. All in all, he thought, it was worse than the cell he'd occupied in Auckland.

He sighed. His legs were tired from walking in aimless circles, so he sat back down, leaning against the unyielding arm of the couch as he wondered about Telsesh. Where had the Nahldarian got to? What was taking him so long? Had he found Chakotay? Tom was beginning to doubt the wisdom of letting Telsesh talk him into staying behind while the Nahldarian made investigations, alone. What if Telsesh had been kidnapped the way Chakotay had been?

That thought had crossed Tom's mind numerous times in the previous four hours, and each time it did, his concerns had increased. If Telsesh didn't return, then there would be no way out of the room, because as far as he could tell, the door only opened from the outside. No-one else knew he was here. He would perish, his whereabouts unknown. He would never see Chakotay again.

He closed his eyes as that prospect sent a wave of panic washing over him. His chest tightened, while his mind drifted to what Telsesh had said earlier. The Nahldarian seemed convinced that Chakotay was interested in *him*, Tom Paris, and Tom decided he wanted the chance to test Telsesh' theory, not to expire without ever knowing if he could have had something with the one man he wanted more than anyone, or anything. 

Realising that his thoughts were becoming far too negative, Tom mentally shook himself. He was a Starfleet officer. He could handle this. He was trained to deal with almost anything that was thrown at him. Anything. Except losing Chakotay. 

"Shit!" Tom got up again as the circular nature of his thoughts made him curse out loud. "Come *on*, Telsesh. Where the hell are you? All this waiting's driving me fucking *crazy*!" 

In frustration, he kicked out at the small table, and although he hadn't actually meant to connect with it, he did, his foot sending the shaky piece of furniture crashing noisily to the uncarpeted floor, and causing the fragile mug that had sat on it to smash into tiny shards that went flying in all directions. Sighing heavily, Tom knelt down and picked up the book that had also fallen. A couple of pages had come loose, and he pushed them back into place, then put it down carefully while he set the table upright again. He decided against collecting the pieces of broken china, and instead, used his foot to scrape the fragments into a small pile near the wall. 

As he finished clearing up, his stomach growled loudly, and gave him something else to think about. The last thing he'd eaten had been a few snacks that he'd enjoyed in one or two of the clubs he and Chakotay had visited the previous night. Breakfast had been non-existent that morning, and he was now acutely aware of how hungry he was. Things just had to improve soon, he thought.

As it turned out, though, things didn't improve until almost an hour later, and then, Tom wasn't exactly sure that they *had* improved.

The door suddenly made a buzzing noise, then opened. Telsesh came hurtling into the room, his arms filled with a variety of bags which he hastily dumped on the table. "I cannot stop, Temospah," he announced breathlessly. "I have a lead; a contact to meet. I believe he knows of Chayelah's whereabouts. You remain here. I will be back shortly."

"What!" Tom exclaimed, staring at Telsesh. "You have got to be kidding! I've been here for over five hours already, I'm not stopping any longer!"

"There is no other choice, and I have no time to argue about it," Telsesh said, heading out of the still-open door. "It is too dangerous for you to accompany me. I will be back in an hour."

"Look. Just hold on a minute. Tell me what you've heard." The door was already swinging shut as Tom spoke. "Tell me about Chayelah," he pleaded as it closed completely. Telsesh had gone again. "Damn!"

Tom shook his head, unable to completely grasp the whirlwind events of the last thirty seconds. In a daze, he turned to the bags on the table and automatically opened the one nearest to him. It contained food; an assortment of fresh fruit. On further investigation he found that bread and small fancy cakes filled the other bags, and there was a container of water. 

But, although the food was a very welcome addition to the contents of the room, Tom was more concerned about Telsesh' announcement than anything else; the Nahldarian had said that he had a lead. Perhaps he would get Chakotay back after all. Tom breathed a small sigh of relief. He hated being left behind again, but if it meant that Telsesh might be successful, then he would endure it. After all, it wouldn't be for much longer. 

Feeling slightly less anxious, Tom took a selection of things across to the couch and sat down, pleased that at least now he wouldn't starve to death. But it had been a long morning, and after filling himself up with the tasty treats, and drinking most of the water, he started to feel tired. Making himself as comfortable as he could on the hard sofa, he closed his eyes. Telsesh had said he would be back in an hour, so Tom decided he would sleep until then.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tom stirred; a cold draught was wafting over him from somewhere, making him shiver. He rubbed at his arms, trying to warm them, but the movement made him wince. His back and neck were sore. Sleeping on couches really didn't agree with him, he decided, especially on ones that felt as though they were made from concrete. Yawning, he opened his eyes and sat up. 

"What the hell?" Tom couldn't see a thing. He blinked a few times, thinking there was something wrong with his eyesight, before his sleep-fogged brain finally reached the conclusion that the overhead panel had gone out. The room was pitch black; not a glimmer of light anywhere. And it was silent. Tom hadn't noticed before just how quiet the room was. Not a sound filtered in from outside, and all he could hear was his own rapid breathing.

"It's okay. Calm down. You can do this." Tom gave himself a pep talk as he realised he'd started to hyperventilate. He didn't like enclosed spaces, never had, and now that it was dark, the room seemed even smaller than before. All the worries he'd had earlier seemed to come back with a vengeance. He had no idea what time it was, but he was certain that Telsesh was late, and his mind screamed at him that something terrible had happened. Telsesh must have been captured. There would be no way out of the room now; he was going to die here for sure. And Chakotay. Oh, God. Chakotay. He'd lost him for good. He'd never get the chance to tell Chakotay how much he loved him. Chakotay would never know. And Voyager; Voyager would try to contact them only to find that they'd both disappeared without a trace. Nahldar's governing body would be powerless to help, and both his body and Chakotay's would rot in some unknown spot on this planet, never to be found.

"Stop it!" Tom yelled loudly at himself. He knew he had to get a grip on his escalating panic before it totally overwhelmed him. "Why the hell am I letting this get to me so much?" he questioned aloud. With a great deal of effort, he forced himself to take slow, deep breaths, closing his eyes so that he could pretend he had control over the darkness. Gradually, he calmed down, and after about ten minutes, his breathing returned to almost normal. With a shuddering sigh, he opened his eyes again. 

What should he do now? What *could* he do now? Tom realised that his unspoken questions had only one answer: nothing. There was absolutely *nothing* he could do, except wait for Telsesh to return. Even though the room was now in darkness, his situation hadn't changed at all - he was still totally dependant on the Nahldarian.

Lying back down, Tom decided he would try to sleep again; it seemed like the best way to deal with his anxiety. He quashed every stray thought that attempted to disturb him, and closed his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Temospah. Wake up!"

Tom was roused by a hand gripping his shoulder and shaking him. He looked up blearily to see Telsesh standing over him. "Telsesh? What time is it?" Tom mumbled sleepily as he sat up and stretched his aching limbs. "Hey. The light's working again," he remarked, rubbing his eyes.

Telsesh sat down on the couch next to Tom. "I am so sorry, Temospah. I did not mean to leave you for so long. I hope you will forgive me," he said, looking contrite.

"You weren't gone that long," Tom said, glancing down at the watch he wore. He'd been supplied with it before he'd left Voyager, and it displayed both ship time and Nahldarian time. Both showed that it was a little after 1600 hours. "You only left around two hours ago. I know you said you'd only be an hour, but, still...."

Telsesh shook his head slowly, dropping his gaze to the floor. "Temospah. I left yesterday. I have been gone for twenty-six of your hours. I am so sorry. But it *was* necessary."

"I've been here for nearly a day and a half, in total?" Tom queried incredulously. "Why? What happened? And why did I sleep for so long?"

"You've been asleep all this time?"

"Most of it, yeah," Tom confirmed.

"I do not know for certain why you slept. Your physiology is obviously different to mine, but when Nahldarians are stressed, sometimes our bodies decide we require rest, even if our brains do not understand the need. Perhaps yours reacted similarly."

Tom nodded, running his fingers through his hair and pushing it back from his face. "You might be right," he remarked. "I *was* feeling pretty anxious. I still am." He looked intently at Telsesh then. "You said you had a lead. What happened. Did you find out where Chayelah is?"

Telsesh smiled. "Yes, Temospah. I know where your Chayelah is. We will get him back."

Tom swallowed heavily, fighting back the tears of relief that threatened as Telsesh' words registered. "He's okay?" he asked, his voice quiet and emotional.

The Nahldarian nodded. "He is alive." He reached out and placed his hand on Tom's arm, and squeezed gently. "But he is not unharmed. Kenthah has had him questioned."

A few tears escaped and rolled slowly down Tom's cheeks. "What have they done to him?" he asked in a whisper.

"I do not know. Kenthah has many interrogation techniques; I was unable to find out which he used this time. My contact only informed me that your Chayelah was alive, but injured."

"Where is he? How will we get him back?" 

"You need not worry about 'how', that is already in hand," Telsesh said, smiling slightly. "I have friends who are working to free him, right now. And once they have him, they will bring him to me."

"They'll bring Chayelah here?"

"No, Temospah. Not here. We must go elsewhere." Telsesh stood up and offered his hand to Tom. "Come. I have transport arranged that will take us to where you will shortly be reunited with Chayelah. We must hurry." 

Tom allowed himself to be helped to his feet, then wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand. He looked at the closed door. "How are we going to get out?" he asked, baffled. "It's shut."

Telsesh frowned. "I will open it," he said, giving Tom an odd look. "How else would we be able to leave?"

"I thought it only opened from the outside," Tom remarked. He raised his eyebrows as Telsesh tapped at a pad on a small box he'd produced from his pocket, and the door buzzed, then opened. 

"Let us go, Temospah," Telsesh said, smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The journey from the small room in the club to the much larger room that Tom was now sitting comfortably in had taken less than half an hour. Telsesh had escorted him out of the building and down the alleyway to a small personal shuttle that he had waiting for them. They were airborne within a few seconds of climbing in, and were passing over the western outskirts of Velator shortly afterwards.

The afternoon sky had been clear and bright, with many other shuttles heading in the same direction as them, mostly containing visitors who had finished their stay in the lively tourist centre and were heading home. Tom had found himself becoming more relaxed as each minute passed, pleased to be out of the confines of the tiny room, and on his way to see Chakotay again. His change of mood had allowed him to appreciate the sights as they'd flown.

Having used the transporters to travel from Voyager to the planet's surface, Tom had only seen Velator from the ground. He hadn't known that the Nahldarian entertainment sector was surrounded by breathtaking scenery; spectacular mountains and crystal-clear lakes that stretched over a vast area, and which turned to lower hills and pasture land the further they went. The whole landscape was a riot of colour, from the shimmering blue of the water to the vivid red leaves of trees that were dotted here and there in the midst of a sea of lemon-coloured grass. Tom had felt his spirits lifting even further as he'd gazed out of the shuttle's window at the beautiful countryside below.

Eventually, they had landed close to a large house which stood alone in the middle of a well-kept garden, the area surrounding it consisting of grass for as far as the eye could see. There had been no-one about as they'd climbed out of the shuttle, and Telsesh had led the way to a door at the back of the building where they'd entered, then made their way to the cosy room in which Tom was now seated. It was a bright, airy room with large windows on two sides, and on another, a door which led outside to a paved area; a real change to where he'd spent over thirty-one of the previous thirty-two hours. 

Tom looked up as Telsesh walked in carrying a tray. The Nahldarian had been to the kitchen area to fetch refreshments, and he'd brought back a plate of snacks and two glasses of a pale green drink. He set the tray down on a large wooden table beneath one of the windows, and gestured for Tom to help himself to the items on it. "Please, Temospah, join me. Eat. Relax. And when we are finished, I will contact my friend and find out more about Chayelah," he said as Tom joined him at the table.


	7. Chapter 7

The late afternoon sun was pouring in through the large window above the table, its golden rays bathing Tom in welcome warmth as he sat, idly sipping at the drink Telsesh had given him earlier. He was lost in his thoughts until a soft noise made him look up, and he saw Telsesh returning to the room, a serious expression on the Nahldarian's face. "What did you find out?" Tom asked apprehensively as he placed his glass on the table. "Did your contact have any more information?" 

Telsesh took a deep breath, then sighed as he sat down on a chair opposite Tom. "Yes," he confirmed. "I have found out more. But not all of it is good, I'm afraid." He studied Tom's suddenly pale face for a moment. "Chayelah is in a poor way - he needs immediate medical attention, but he is no longer Kenthah's captive."

Tom closed his eyes, his chest tightening painfully. "He's been freed? Your men got him away from Kenthah?" he asked shakily, grasping at the good news.

"Yes, Temospah, your Chayelah is free. My friends will bring him here shortly."

"But what about his injuries?" Tom questioned, looking anxiously at the Nahldarian. "You said he needs medical attention, how's he going to get that here?"

"There is more to this house than there appears to be," Telsesh said softly. "There is adequate equipment here to treat Chayelah, so do not worry too much. We will repair his injuries."

Tom sat silently for a moment, staring vacantly out of the window at the garden beyond. "How long before he gets here?" he asked quietly, turning to face Telsesh. "And *how* will he get here? Will they bring him by shuttle, transporter, or what?"

Telsesh shook his head. "Transporters are not an option; I do not have them at my disposal. My friends will take Chayelah by shuttle to a building a few minutes flight time from here, then transfer him to a different form of transport. There is another way into this house, and they will use that."

"What way, Telsesh?" Tom queried, frowning. "This building is surrounded by grassland; the only way to get here without using a transporter would appear to be by air."

"Yes, that is how it seems," Telsesh replied, nodding. "But there is a less obvious way." He shifted forward in his chair, and smiled. "As you know, I am going to return your ship's stolen parts to you...."

"You have them?" Tom interrupted.

Telsesh shook his head. "Not yet. But I will have them soon. They will arrive with Chayelah. But that is not what I was trying to explain."

"I'm sorry. Tell me what you were going to say."

Telsesh smiled. "Very well. I will begin again. As I said before, I am going to return the parts to you. But, what you do not know is that this will not be the first time I have gone against Kenthah. Fortunately for me, I have always been successful in keeping my dealings hidden, but as a precaution, I had this house equipped with an escape route. Today, it will be used as an alternate means of entry." He sat back a little, and smiled more brightly. "There is an underground passageway that connects this house to the building where my friends will land with Chayelah. He will be brought here via that."

Tom gave a small relieved laugh and shook his head. "You've planned everything really well," he remarked with a smile of his own. He felt far more relaxed now that he knew exactly how Chakotay was going to get there, and that the older man's injuries could be treated. "It must have cost a fortune to have a tunnel that length constructed, though," he commented a moment later. "And how did you get the engineers and other workers to keep quiet about it?"

"I am afraid there are some things that I cannot tell you," Telsesh replied, apologetically. "But it is lucky for you and your Chayelah that the construction workers *did* keep quiet, is it not?"

"Yeah. Very lucky," Tom replied, picking his glass back up. He took a sip of the sweet liquid it contained, then gave a soft sigh. "Thank you, Telsesh," he said seriously. "I don't know what I would have done without your help. I wouldn't have had a clue about where to start looking for Chayelah, let alone freeing him afterwards. So, thank you."

Telsesh bowed his head slightly. "You are most welcome, Temospah. And I will be the one thanking you when I receive my payment for the return of your ship's components."

Tom snorted. "Yeah, I guess you will," he grinned. "But you deserve it. And I won't be the only one who thinks so. Everyone on Voyager will be happy to have the parts back because it means we can resume our journey home. And they'll be doubly pleased to have Chayelah back."

"He's that well liked?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah. He's the most respected man on the ship; a really good and honourable person. We couldn't have a better First Officer."

"It sounds as though he is a very valuable member of your crew," Telsesh remarked, smiling. "I am glad to be of help in returning him to you."

Tom smiled back, then finished his drink. "When will Chayelah arrive here? Do you know?" he asked, putting the empty glass down on the table. 

"I expect him to be here within the hour," Telsesh replied, getting up. He gestured to the door that led to the paved area outside. "Come, Temospah, let us sit in the garden. It is a beautiful afternoon, and we should enjoy it. You have told me a little about Chayelah, and now I would like to hear about you. Let us sit outside and talk."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What I saw of your ship was wonderful," Telsesh remarked, smiling at Tom from his seat on the terrace. "And the way you have spoken about her for the last twenty minutes has me intrigued. Travelling on Voyager must be an incredible experience."

"Yeah, it is," Tom agreed quickly. "She's the best ship I've ever flown."

Telsesh looked surprised. "You pilot her?" he asked. 

Tom nodded. "Yeah," he confirmed. "And I couldn't wish for a better job. I've been obsessed with flying since I was a kid, so when the Captain gave me the position of Chief Pilot, I was stunned." 

"You must be a very talented man, Temospah," Telsesh commented. "And an asset to your ship." He looked thoughtful. "Your First Officer recognised me from my visit to Voyager, but did I meet *you* then? You look nothing like the people who were present; the way your appearance has been altered, from your own species to mine, is most convincing. If I did not know better, I would not suspect you of being anything other than Nahldarian."

"Our Doctor did a very good job," Tom said, nodding. "But, yes, I was there. You were sitting next to Chakotay, and I was the other side of him."

"Chakotay?" Telsesh queried. "I do not know that name, my friend. Unless... Do you mean Chayelah? Is 'Chakotay' his given name? If it is, then I am pleased to finally know the name of at least one of the people I am helping. It makes me feel that I am trusted." 

"Yeah, I suppose it would," Tom said thoughtfully. "I know what it's like to not be trusted." He came to a decision. "My real name's Tom Paris," he informed the Nahldarian. "And you were right, Chayelah and Chakotay *are* the same person."

Telsesh smiled brightly. "Thank you, Tom Paris. Your trust in me has made me very happy. And thank you, also, for a most informative chat." He stood up then, and patted Tom on the shoulder. "Let us see if your Chakotay has arrived yet. Come with me," he instructed.

Tom stood, and Telsesh led him back inside the house, across the room that they'd sat in before, through the kitchen area, and then into a short corridor. There was a door at the end which Tom presumed would open on to another room, but when Telsesh touched the silver panel on the wall beside it, it slid back to reveal that it concealed a lift. Stepping inside, Telsesh tapped at another control panel. The lift door closed, then they began to move. The descent was smooth and rapid, and less than ten seconds later, they emerged into another passageway.

"How far below the surface are we?" Tom asked as they left the lift and Telsesh ushered him along the brightly-lit corridor.

Telsesh stopped as another door slid open in the wall to his right. "In here, Tom Paris," he said, ignoring Tom's question, and instead, directing him into a sparsely furnished room. He pointed to a chair that was situated next to a low bed. "Sit there," he ordered.

Tom frowned, but sat down. "Where are you going?" he asked as Telsesh started walking towards the door. 

The Nahldarian turned around and smiled. "I am going to get your Chakotay for you, Tom Paris," he informed him. "I will be right back." 

"He's here?" Tom questioned as Telsesh reached the door. "How do you know? You haven't contacted anyone."

"No. Because I had no need to," Telsesh replied, grinning. "You are a fool, Tom Paris. A real fool." The Nahldarian laughed, and walked out, the door sliding shut behind him.

Tom crossed the room quickly, and stood in front of the closed door. It was then that he suddenly became aware of the similarity between this room and the one which he'd occupied not so long ago - white walls, no windows, but more importantly, a door that he couldn't open. The colour drained from his face as his situation became clear - he was Telsesh' prisoner. He had walked into a trap.

For several minutes, Tom stood unmoving, then finally, in a daze, he slowly wandered to the bed and collapsed on it, completely stunned by the turn of events. He was still trying to come to terms with what had happened when the door opened again, and he looked up to see Telsesh and another man carrying Chakotay into the room. Without conscious thought, Tom stood up and started walking forwards, his hand moving to where a phaser had been concealed along with his tricorder.

"Do not bother. It is not there," Telsesh announced as they unceremoniously dropped Chakotay on to the floor just inside the door. Tom's fingers had just confirmed the truth of Telsesh' statement as a third man appeared with a bowl of water and a cloth, both of which he placed next to the unconscious Commander. "Clean him up, Tom Paris," Telsesh ordered, pointing at Chakotay. "Your Captain will not want him back in that state."

Tom hurried to Chakotay's side, quickly bending down to check his condition. His fingers moved to Chakotay's neck, and found his pulse. It was a little weak, but steady. "Why?" Tom asked angrily, looking up at Telsesh. "Why the *fuck* did you do this? I don't understand."

Telsesh laughed, and gestured for his companions to leave the room. "I needed information, Tom Paris, and I got it. Although, not from your Chakotay - he refused to tell me anything. He wouldn't even disclose his real name. But you, my friend, you told me all I needed to know." He laughed again. "Trust is such a wonderful thing," he commented as he went out the door. "And so much easier on my knuckles," he added as it closed behind him.

Tom could hear Telsesh' continued laughter as the Nahldarian walked away down the corridor, but he tuned it out, and turned his attention to the man lying in front of him.

Chakotay was a mess. From his cut and grazed face, right down to the abrasions on his ankles, his almost naked body was covered in dark mauve bruises. His hair, which was matted with dried blood, covered the top half of his face, and as Tom gently pushed the strands away, he found that Chakotay's eyes were red and swollen. "What the hell did they need to do this for?" Tom wondered again. Carefully, he slipped his arms beneath Chakotay's abused body, and then picked the Commander up and carried him the short distance to the bed, putting him down gently before going back to collect the bowl and cloth.

Patiently, and with infinite care, Tom dabbed at the cuts on Chakotay's forehead, removing the blood and inspecting the damage. He gave a small sigh of relief as he found it wasn't quite as bad as he'd feared; most of the blood had come from one gash that was hidden in Chakotay's hair, and was already healing, the rest from small cuts and grazes. Tom rinsed out the rag, his gaze wandering over the angry-looking marks that had been left on Chakotay's chest and stomach, and he shook his head. What exactly was the situation? Had Kenthah ever held Chakotay captive, or had Telsesh had him all along? Whose authority had allowed the gentle man lying in front of him to be treated the way he had? With another sigh, this time of frustration, Tom gave up on his thoughts, and returned to bathing Chakotay's wounds; he was too concerned with Chakotay's immediate welfare to be able to work through exactly what had happened - he would have to leave it until later.

The minutes passed as Tom continued to clean Chakotay up. There was no towel, so he removed his shirt, and used that to pat the Commander dry. When he was finished, there was no trace of blood left anywhere except on the stained cloth and in the discoloured water. Deciding that he should make Chakotay more comfortable, Tom gently manoeuvred the Commander's boxers-clad body beneath the bedcovers. As he adjusted the blanket, Chakotay stirred.

"Chakotay? Can you hear me?" Tom asked softly. He cupped Chakotay's face in his hands. "Chakotay?"

Chakotay's eyes flickered open as far as the swelling would allow them to, and he tried to focus on the man leaning over him. Everything was blurred at first, but after a moment his vision cleared and he recognised the Lieutenant. He coughed, wincing as his muscles protested the action, then spoke, his voice a rasping whisper. "Why, Tom?" he asked sadly. "Why did you do it?" Not waiting for an answer, Chakotay looked away, his eyes dull and almost lifeless as he rolled over and faced the wall.


	8. Chapter 8

Tom looked down at the man lying in the bed, and frowned. Chakotay had closed his eyes again, and was ignoring him. Gently, he touched Chakotay's shoulder. "Chakotay? Please. Look at me," he requested softly. "Talk to me."

Chakotay sighed, and slowly shook his head. "I don't have the strength for this, right now," he whispered hoarsely. "Just leave me alone, Lieutenant. Let me sleep."

"No." Tom increased his grip on Chakotay's shoulder, and urged him on to his back. "I've been worried to death about you, Chakotay," he stated, gazing down at the older man's bruised face. "So, don't do this to me. I can't take it. Talk to me. Please."

"About what?" Chakotay asked gruffly, looking up at Tom through half-open eyes. "About how you gave away information to save yourself? Do you want to talk about *that*?"

"What? What the hell are you on about?" Tom demanded, swallowing heavily at the anger and disappointment that was clearly showing on Chakotay's face. Where the hell had the Commander got this idea from? Tom shook his head. Okay, apparently he *had* inadvertently told Telsesh whatever it was he wanted to know, but he hadn't given the Nahldarian the information in order to save his own skin! "It wasn't intentional, Chakotay," he insisted forcefully. "I didn't realise. I thought he was helping. I...." A lump formed in his throat. "You'd disappeared. He said he'd found you. He brought me here to see you, but... I don't know. It was a trap, I guess." He stopped talking for a moment, and turned away from Chakotay. "I trusted him. I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Chakotay gave a soft snort. "Whatever, Paris," he muttered, turning back towards the wall and closing his eyes again. "Just leave me alone."

Tom reeled as though he'd been physically slapped - the pain he felt was tangible. Blinking back tears, he gazed down at Chakotay, while Telsesh' words echoed inside his head. 'You're a fool, Tom Paris. A real fool.' It was probably the only truth that the Nahldarian had spoken. All the rest had most likely been lies. It was so obvious now - Chakotay was never going to be interested in a failure like him; he wasn't good enough for the honourable and proud Commander. Tom's control, along with his heart, shattered at the realisation. 

Pitiful sobs filled the tiny room as Tom sank, shaking, to the floor, his head resting face-down on the bed, and his arms wrapped around his knees. There wasn't a single thought in his head now; he was beyond thinking - this was just pure emotion. Tears of despair ran non-stop, soaking the crisp, white sheet that Chakotay was lying on, but his distress went unnoticed by the lightly-snoring Commander who had fallen asleep as soon as he'd finished speaking.

Tom had no awareness of time, or anything else, as he cried continuously, giving vent to the anguish that consumed him. Finally, though, his exhausted body could take no more, and he drifted into an uneasy slumber, his breaths coming in short, shuddering gasps, even as he slept.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Chakotay who awoke first, several hours later. Shifting in the bed, his arm brushed against something solid, and he sleepily turned to see what it was. He wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted him, however; the 'something solid' was Tom, and he was the picture of abject misery. 

Chakotay slowly eased himself upright, and gazed down worriedly at the sleeping Lieutenant. Tom was clinging, shirtless, to the side of the bed, his red and puffy face streaked with dried tears, and his breathing was ragged; he looked as though he'd cried for hours. 

Chakotay leaned forward, and gently ran his fingers along the ridge that curved around Tom's right eye, desperately wondering what had happened to upset the younger man so much, and concerned that he, himself, had slept through the entire episode. He really wanted to wake Tom up and talk to him, but sleep looked to be exactly what the younger man needed right now, so he decided against talking - that could wait. Instead, he climbed out of bed and carefully manoeuvred Tom into his arms, and a moment later, settled himself and Tom under the covers. Then, hugging the younger man tightly to him as he gently stroked Tom's back, he drifted off to rejoin him in sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eyes still closed, Tom smiled, and snuggled in closer to the warm body that was wrapped around his. This was definitely the way he liked to start the day - feeling safe, comfortable, and in the arms of the man he loved. If only every morning could start this way.

With a start, Tom's eyes flew open, sudden recollection of earlier events, waking him instantly. Shit! What the hell had he done now? How had he managed to crawl into bed with Chakotay? Well, if the Commander hadn't hated him before, he certainly would now! He had to move away before Chakotay woke up; he couldn't bear to see the loathing that he knew would be on the older man's face once Chakotay realised who was hugging him: Tom Paris - the traitor. Quickly, but carefully, he extricated himself from Chakotay's arms. Seating himself on the edge of the bed, he rested his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands, as he willed the erection he sported to subside. 

"Tom? Are you okay?"

Chakotay's quiet voice, and the large, warm hand that began to gently rub his back, startled him, and he swung round to face the Commander. He was lost for words, though, and just stared at Chakotay as the older man studied his face.

"Tom? What is it?" Chakotay enquired softly. "What's wrong?"

Tom frowned; Chakotay looked genuinely concerned, and it puzzled him. Didn't the Commander realise how much he'd hurt him with his earlier accusation? He stayed silent, unable to put into words just what Chakotay's lack of faith in him meant - how much it upset him. Chakotay believed he'd given Telsesh information in return for his own safety - how could the Commander think so little of him? Whatever he said in his defence, Chakotay would never understand, so, even though the older man seemed worried about him, why bother trying to explain? It would just be a waste of his breath.

"Tom. Please. What's wrong?" Chakotay asked again. He reached out to touch Tom's arm, but the younger man flinched, then quickly stood up, averting his gaze. Chakotay became increasingly worried. This wasn't like Tom at all. What had Kenthah's men done to him? Maybe the use of Tom's rank would have more effect. "Lieutenant. Sit down," he instructed. "I want you to talk to me. Now." 

After hesitating briefly, Tom complied, and perched on the foot of the bed - as far away as he could possibly get and still follow the order, Chakotay realised. "Look at me, Lieutenant," he commanded. Tom sighed, but did as he was told. He looked up to see Chakotay anxiously studying him. "What happened, Tom? What did Kenthah's men do to you?" Chakotay enquired gently.

Tom was completely mystified by the question, and reacted accordingly, his resolve to stay silent, entirely forgotten. "Kenthah's men? What the fuck have *they* got to do with anything?" he queried angrily. "It was Telsesh that brought me here. Kenthah's men took *you*, not me."

Tom's words confused Chakotay, totally. "Telsesh? I don't understand, Tom," he said, puzzled. "Why would *he* bring you here?" He paused, thinking. "The last time I saw you, we were together at Telsesh' club; what happened to you?"

"Nothing," Tom stated, shaking his head. He could feel his emotions bubbling up inside of him again, so he took a few deep breaths, wanting to calm himself before continuing. "I talked to Telsesh after you left for the rest room, and he explained a few things to me. Although, after what's happened, I'm not sure how much truth there was in anything he said. But, that aside, when you didn't return, I went looking for you. I couldn't find you; you'd disappeared. After a bit of detective work, we came to the conclusion that you'd been taken by one of Kenthah's men - a guy named Gelvash."

"Yes. I know that name," Chakotay remarked, reflectively. "I heard someone mention it when I first arrived here."

Tom frowned, a thought niggling him. "When *did* you arrive here? Because Telsesh told me that he'd arranged for some of his friends to get you away from Kenthah, and that you'd been brought to this place today. Or, at least I *think* it was today; I'm a bit hazy about how much time has passed."

"What does it say on that watch you're wearing?" Chakotay asked, pointing to the small timepiece that Tom still had strapped to his wrist.

Tom checked the display, and shook his head, perplexed. "This doesn't make any sense," he muttered, looking up at Chakotay. "I'm sure it's been more than three hours since Telsesh brought me here, but this doesn't seem to agree. In fact, it's got to be totally wrong," Tom remarked. "It still insists that today is the same day that you and I left to look for Telsesh, but there's no way that *that* can be right. He left me on my own for nearly a day and a half, so...."

Chakotay sighed heavily, and lightly rubbed his hand across his forehead. Nothing seemed to be making any sense at all. "I think we need to start from the beginning," he said after a moment's thought. "Tell me exactly what happened, and everything that Telsesh said to you from the moment I left to go to the rest room. Perhaps we'll be able to figure out what's going on, then."

"Okay. I'll tell you what I remember." Tom made himself a little more comfortable on the bed, and began to relate his experiences. 

By the time Tom had finished, Chakotay was looking very thoughtful. "Let me just get a couple of things straight, Tom. Did you check your watch properly the second time Telsesh returned to the room he'd left you in? Or did you just accept his word about how long he'd been gone for?"

"I checked my watch, but...." Tom trailed off as he remembered that what his watch had displayed and what Telsesh had told him, hadn't agreed. "He told me he'd been gone for twenty-six hours, and I believed him, despite the fact that my watch said he'd left only two hours earlier." His face showed his complete confusion. "Why the hell would I do something like *that*? Fuck! I'm even more of a fool than I thought I was!"

"I think you were drugged, Tom," Chakotay remarked, moving closer to him. "Think about it. You've already told me that Amshev gave us drinks containing a substance which heightened our emotions according to what stimuli we were exposed to, so perhaps Telsesh added that drug, and possibly another, to the food or water that he left for you. If I'm right, it would explain a few things."

"Such as?"

"Such as the way that Telsesh was able to manipulate you into trusting his word over the facts in front of you, for a start. Although, we still can't be certain that your watch is showing an accurate time; Telsesh may have altered it while you were asleep - while you were in a *drug-induced* sleep. That might also explain what happened to your phaser and tricorder; I think he removed them while you were suffering the effects of whatever it was he gave you."

"Yeah," Tom agreed distractedly. His mind had been elsewhere from the moment that Chakotay had mentioned the word 'trust'.

"I don't suppose it was the cause, but perhaps the drug was also a contributing factor in the emotional scene you obviously experienced while I was asleep," Chakotay suggested gently. "Can you tell me what it was that started it, Tom?" he queried. "What upset you?"

Tom was quiet for a moment, not really wanting to voice the memory of Chakotay's words to him, but he knew the Commander wouldn't let it rest until he'd answered. "You thought I'd deliberately betrayed you," he stated quietly, closing his eyes. "You accused me of supplying information in order to save myself. You *know* I'm not like that, or, at least, you *should* know. I honestly thought we'd got past all that years ago." He sighed heavily, then looked up at Chakotay. "I tried to explain to you what had happened, but you wouldn't listen; you told me to leave you alone, and then you just ignored me and went to sleep. You hurt me, Chakotay. A lot. Although, I don't really know why I reacted quite as strongly as I did. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps Telsesh has been giving me drugs with every item of food or drink I've consumed. I just don't know."

Chakotay sat silently, trying to recall the things that Tom had told him he'd done. "I wasn't really thinking straight when I first saw you again," he said a few moments later. "The last thing I really remember is being told that I wasn't going to be questioned any more because Kenthah had all the information he needed. I don't know who it was who said that because he stayed out of my line of sight the whole time he spoke, but he knew my name when I hadn't revealed it. I was then informed by the same person that all his questions had been answered by Tom Paris. He said that you'd traded your knowledge in return for not being questioned in the same manner that I had been."

"And you believed that? You really thought I was that fucking shallow?"

"I'm sorry, Tom," Chakotay apologised, reaching out to squeeze Tom's arm. "I *know* you wouldn't deliberately do something like that, but at the time, I wasn't really myself. If I had been, I wouldn't have even *considered* such a thing. I trust you more than anyone else I know."

"Really? You really mean that?" Tom asked hopefully. "You honestly trust me?"

"Yes, Tom," Chakotay assured him. "I trust you implicitly. And I really hope you'll accept my apology for seeming to doubt you, because my words to you were as unintentional as *your* words were to Telsesh." 

"And you forgive me for that?" Tom asked quietly, 

"There's nothing to forgive, Tom. I think both of us are the victims of drugs, and what appears to be a double-cross; I believe that Telsesh is still working for Kenthah. I've been held here ever since I was abducted from the club; I wasn't rescued by anyone and brought here afterwards. All this talk about Telsesh returning the stolen parts to us was just a ruse to take hostages. We walked into a trap."

"So, how do we get out of it? We can't trust what my watch says, so we have no idea how long it'll be until the shield's lifted from around the planet, and even once it *has* been lifted, we have no way of contacting Voyager. No-one knows where we are, and the chances are they'll *never* know where we are, because I would be very surprised if this building didn't have shielding of it's own that prevented our ship scanning for us."

Chakotay took a deep breath, and then exhaled slowly as he considered the probable accuracy of Tom's assessment. Their situation definitely didn't look very good.


	9. Chapter 9

Dragging himself away from his musings over their current predicament, Chakotay turned his head to look at the man sitting next to him on the bed. Tom was leaning, eyes closed, against the wall, seemingly lost in his thoughts, a frown showing occasionally on his slightly paler than normal face. Chakotay gave a soft sigh; even though his face was still slightly puffy and red from his earlier emotional outburst, Tom was still a beautiful sight. He let his gaze drift lower, admiring the younger man's exposed muscular chest and stomach as he remembered their first morning on Nahldar. Ever since they'd first met, he'd dreamed of waking with Tom in his arms, but the difference between his dreams, and the reality of Tom's warm, strong body pressed against his, was beyond compare; it had felt far better than he had ever imagined. That fact was going to make it very difficult to accomplish what he had in mind.

"Chakotay? Something wrong?"

At the unexpected sound of Tom's voice, Chakotay quickly looked up, a little embarrassed that Tom had caught him staring. He flushed slightly, but did his best to affect a nonchalant attitude. "Sorry, Tom. I was miles away," he muttered. "I was still thinking about our situation."

"Oh. Thought of a way out of here, then?" Tom asked. He could've sworn that the way Chakotay had been looking at him had been less than professional, but it was probably either his own wishful thinking or maybe the lingering effects of the drugs that were most likely in his system making him see things that weren't there. Although, Chakotay *did* appear to be blushing, so....

"There *is* no way out, Tom," Chakotay stated, abruptly cutting off the younger man's thoughts. "We're here until Kenthah decides to release us."

"What?" Tom exclaimed with surprise. He gave Chakotay a long, disbelieving stare. "D'you mean we're not even going to *attempt* to escape? What kind of attitude's *that*?"

"The kind that's going to keep us alive and in one piece, Tom," Chakotay replied gently. "So just accept it."

Tom snorted, and shook his head. "I don't believe this," he declared, still staring at his superior officer. "What's wrong with you? You're usually the first person with ideas to get us out of tough scrapes." A sudden thought made itself known. "Did Kenthah's interrogation methods affect you that badly? Is that what's wrong?" he asked sympathetically. "Are you afraid that if we were to get caught you might experience something similar?"

"That's one of the reasons, yes," Chakotay answered quietly. "But mostly, I'm just being realistic about our chances. As it is, the possibility of us getting out of here, without help, is zero."

Tom frowned, but remained silent for a moment. Even if Kenthah's questioning techniques *had* been really rough, something didn't seem quite right about this; Chakotay never usually gave up without *some* sort of fight. He looked carefully at the older man's serious expression. "So, we do nothing, is that it?" he queried. "We just wait for Kenthah to let us go? Nothing else?"

"We don't try to escape; there's no point," Chakotay stated calmly. "But there *is* something else we can do in the meantime."

"There is? What?" Tom asked, puzzled.

Chakotay shifted further up the small bed, then pulled back the covers. "We can make use of the bed," he said softly. He gazed intently at the younger man's disbelieving face. "Come here, Tom," he continued quietly, but insistently. "Now." 

Chakotay's tone was soft, but commanding, and although Tom was still far from convinced that things were okay with the Commander, and certain that he shouldn't follow the implausible instruction, the way Chakotay had spoken compelled him to obey. Slowly, and silently, he edged his way up to where the older man was waiting expectantly for him. He looked quizzically at his C.O. "Chakotay?"

Chakotay climbed under the covers and settled down, lying on his left side. He reached out, and lightly ran his fingers along Tom's arm. "Come on, Tom," he whispered. "Get in. Let me hold you."

Tom's breathing had become fast and shallow, and he swallowed nervously as he felt himself hardening. He was thankful he still wore the loose pants that were common on Nahldar, but if he stayed where he was for much longer, he knew he wouldn't be able to hide his growing erection from Chakotay. Without any more thought, he slipped under the sheet and into Chakotay's waiting arms, sighing as he was pulled into a gentle hug. He sought out, and held, Chakotay's gaze. "Why?" he breathed as he looked deep into the older man's dark eyes.

Chakotay leaned in close, and nuzzled the sensitive skin below Tom's ear, before whispering an almost inaudible plea. "Trust me, Tom. Please." He pulled back then so that he could once again see the younger man's face.

Tom could see the earnest look in Chakotay's eyes as he answered him. "Always, Chakotay," he responded softly. "I'll always trust you. With my life. With anything."

Tom sounded so completely sincere that Chakotay was totally shaken; the words, and the way Tom had delivered them in such an honest, heartfelt manner, was utterly unexpected. Acting on impulse, he lowered his lips to Tom's and kissed him tenderly. 

Tom couldn't believe what was happening, but he wasn't going to protest, he just responded automatically, reaching up with both hands to grasp Chakotay's head and pull him closer, deepening the kiss as his fingers carded their way through the older man's silky hair. It was what he'd longed for - Chakotay kissing him because he wanted to, not because he had to for the sake of their mission, and it felt incredible; he didn't want it to ever end. "Don't stop. Please," he whispered when Chakotay went to pull away several minutes later. "Kiss me again."

Chakotay was more than willing to oblige, and their mouths met over and over, the gentle, loving kisses running one into another, merging, and becoming more heated again as the minutes passed. It was bliss, and Chakotay found his hands slowly roaming Tom's body, exploring the younger man's warm, soft skin as his arousal grew. It was only when Tom began to pull urgently at him, trying to shift his body to cover Tom's own, that Chakotay remembered his original purpose for initiating the intimacy. "Tom. No."

The soft words didn't register with Tom at first, but when Chakotay repeated them, he looked up at the older man, bemused. "What? Why?"

Chakotay bent down and slowly kissed his way across Tom's shoulder, then up the younger man's neck. "Because I think we're probably being watched," he finally replied, whispering directly into Tom's ear.

"So, why... Why did you start this?" Tom questioned quietly, pulling Chakotay round to face him.

Chakotay stared down into Tom's puzzled eyes, and gently stroked his cheek. He moved then, and placed his lips against Tom's. "We need to plan how to get out of here; I thought it would be less obvious if we talked like this," he murmured before kissing him lightly.

Tom's world fell apart yet again - this *was* about the mission, Chakotay didn't *really* want him; the kisses were just part of a ploy to beat any surveillance equipment that was trained on them. He should've known it was too good to be true. He closed his eyes as he felt tears threatening to fall. 

Chakotay had returned his attention to Tom's neck and ear, and was gently licking and nibbling first one place, and then the other. He was revelling in the smell and taste of the younger man's skin, and was completely unaware of the pain Tom was suffering because of his words. "Forget everything I said earlier, Tom," he instructed in a whisper. "It was for the benefit of anyone who might have been listening in. I didn't mean any of it. If there's a chance to escape, we'll take it."

'Forget everything. He doesn't want you. You were right,' Tom's mind screamed at him. He lost his battle with his tears, and they spilled out to run slowly down his cheek as he mumbled his acquiescence. "Yes, Sir." 

"We need to stay alert, Tom," Chakotay continued close to his ear. "I want one of us awake at all times." His eyes were closed as he licked at the skin nearby; it was wet, and tasted salty. Chakotay pushed himself up on one elbow, and gazed down at the younger man, frowning as he noted tears steadily rolling down Tom's face. He gently wiped at them with his fingers. "What's the matter, Tom?" he asked, deeply concerned. "Why are you crying?"

Tom swallowed heavily and shook his head, his eyes still tightly shut. "It's nothing," he replied quietly. "Probably just the drugs in my system. They're making me overemotional. Sorry."

Tom's reasoning was plausible, but Chakotay wasn't convinced. "Are you sure that's what it is?" he questioned further. "Or was it my fault? Did I go too far, Tom? Because I never meant to upset you."

"It's not your fault, Chakotay," Tom sighed, aware of the truth of his statement. He couldn't blame Chakotay for the pain he was feeling - the older man was unaware of what he'd done; Chakotay had no idea how much he loved him, and, therefore, no idea how badly his rejection had hurt, either. "I'm just finding it difficult to control my emotions, that's all."

Chakotay wiped at Tom's tears again, then pulled him close and hugged him. "Go back to sleep, Tom," he said softly. "You'll feel better once you're more rested."

"Yeah, I suppose." Tom sighed, and snuggled up to Chakotay. Even if the Commander didn't want him, at least he had Chakotay's trust; he clung to what Chakotay had told him earlier - 'I trust you more than anyone else I know.' It wasn't quite what he wanted, but it was far more than he'd ever hoped for, and it would have to be enough. He yawned, suddenly tired, and within minutes, fell asleep.

Chakotay closed his eyes briefly, feeling incredibly guilty. He absentmindedly caressed Tom's back as he silently berated himself over how selfish his actions had been. He hadn't given a thought to how Tom would react to his idea for covertly sharing information. The younger man had barely woken up after suffering one emotional crisis, and here *he* was, inducing another. 

Chakotay sighed, and glanced down at the man in his arms. Tom was sleeping fairly peacefully, just the occasional hitch in his breathing to testify to his recent tears. He thought again about Tom's explanation for them, and still felt certain that *he* was to blame. But *why* had Tom cried? Because he'd taken advantage, because he'd done things that Tom hadn't wanted him to do? No, that couldn't be right; surprisingly, Tom had responded wholeheartedly to his kisses, and had wanted more - was *that* an effect of the drugs? Probably. But he didn't think drugs were the root cause of Tom's tears, so what else could it be? Was it because he'd *stopped* kissing him? That was just ridiculous. But Tom *had* seemed perplexed when he'd prevented him from taking things further, so maybe... Maybe... Maybe, what? 

Chakotay gave up trying to figure it out. All he could come up with was that *maybe* Tom felt something for him, and wanted his feelings to be reciprocated, but that wasn't likely. For as long as he'd known Tom, the younger man had never shown any interest in him, so that probably ruled out any chance of his far-fetched theory being correct; it was just another case of wishful thinking on his part. 'But, still,' his mind insisted, 'it wouldn't hurt to test the waters a little, once Tom was himself again. Just to see.' 

Chakotay nodded to himself as he brushed Tom's hair back from his face; it was worth a try. At least, once his theory was shot to pieces by Tom's disinterest, he would know for certain that he was imagining things. He'd know for sure then that his dreams were only ever likely to *be* dreams, and he could go back to the way things were before. He would do it; he would throw caution to the wind, and let Tom know how much he cared for him. Having reached his decision, he relaxed. Hugging Tom even closer, he watched as the younger man slept on, waiting patiently for him to wake again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Tom came to, about an hour later, his only thought was that he was suffering from deja vu. Once again he was wrapped up in Chakotay's arms, although, this time, Chakotay wasn't asleep. Tom realised that fact when Chakotay's fingers gently brushed his cheek. 

"Feeling better, Tom?" Chakotay asked softly. Although Tom still looked tired, his face was no longer puffy, and Chakotay was pleased that the younger man appeared to be more relaxed. It seemed as though sleep might have done the trick. 

Tom gave the Commander a small smile. "I'm fine, Chakotay. I'm still a bit weary, but I'm okay. I feel much calmer now." 

"I'm glad to hear it. I was really worried about you, Tom," Chakotay said quietly. He swallowed nervously, then held Tom's gaze. "I know it was my actions that upset you," he continued, guiltily. "And I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, because that's the last thing I'd *ever* want to do. You're too important to me for that." He took a deep breath, then released it slowly. "There's something I have to tell you, Tom," he began softly. "But I'm not sure how you're going to take it."

Tom frowned; Chakotay looked as nervous as hell. "What is it, Chakotay?" he asked, sitting up. "You look like you're about to go ten rounds with the Borg. What's on your mind?"

Chakotay swallowed heavily. "It's about you. Well, me, really... I... " He sighed and shook his head. This was far harder than he'd thought it would be. He tried again. "I have to tell you, Tom, that I...." His words were cut off by the sound of the door opening.

"Ah, Tom Paris. You are awake," Telsesh remarked as he walked in. "On your feet. You are to come with me," he stated, gesturing for Tom to stand. "Up!" he ordered again when Tom failed to comply immediately.

"What do you want with Tom?" Chakotay demanded. "Where are you taking him?" Telsesh ignored Chakotay's questions as two guards entered the room and quickly headed towards the bed, grabbing Tom's arms. Chakotay sprang at the men as Tom struggled with them, managing to deliver a few hard blows to one, before three others rushed through the door and overpowered him. Two of the Nahldarians produced restraints and secured Chakotay's wrists to the bed frame, but his eyes were glued on Tom, who was staring back at him. "Don't you dare fucking hurt him," he growled, turning to glare at Telsesh. "Or you'll be sorry, you bastard. I'll kill you the first chance I get. That's a promise."

Telsesh laughed, and pointed to the door. "Get Tom Paris out of here," he ordered his men. "And you, Chakotay," he continued, returning his attention to the furious man on the bed. "Well, I'll have the pleasure of *your* company next." Telsesh waved the guards out, then followed, leaving Chakotay behind, struggling anxiously with his bonds.


	10. Chapter 10

As they marched him out of the room and into the corridor, Tom twisted in the guards grip, and caught a last glimpse of Chakotay just before the door closed. The Commander was shackled to the bed, and struggling vainly to free himself, but the whole time, Chakotay's eyes were focused on him. In that brief moment, Tom became aware of the depth of emotion present in Chakotay's gaze. And it wasn't just deep concern for a subordinate officer that he saw, but something that seemed to be far more personal.

//You're too important to me.//

Chakotay's words played over and over inside Tom's head as the guards dragged him down the cold, white-walled corridor. What had the Commander meant by his words? In what way was he important to Chakotay? And what was it that Chakotay had wanted to tell him? The Commander had been so nervous, not his usual unflappable self; what had caused that?

Tom's musings came to an abrupt end as he was pushed roughly through a doorway at the end of the passage, and sent sprawling into a brightly lit room that appeared to be some sort of control centre. Tom couldn't tell what it's exact purpose was, but the rows of button-and-light-filled panels and monitors that lined the bottom half of one wall seemed to indicate that it was a place of some significance.

"Pick Tom Paris up," Telsesh ordered, looking disapprovingly at his men. "Put him in the chair." 

"What's going on, Telsesh? What do you want with me?" Tom demanded as he was forced to sit, and metal bands attached to the chair's arms were clamped around his wrists, holding him firmly in place. "Why are you doing this?"

Telsesh ignored all of Tom's questions as he walked across to stand in front of one of the panels. He turned around then, and smiled. "It is time to contact your Captain," he stated.

Tom frowned, puzzled. "How can you do *that*?" he queried. "What about the shield surrounding Nahldar? You can't contact my ship while *that's* in place." He noticed the amusement written on Telsesh' face, and a thought sprang to mind. "What day is it?" he asked. "How long is it since we left your club?"

Telsesh sneered at him. "I do not give away information as freely as you do, Tom Paris. But I will tell you this: I have not kept you in a state of ignorance for nothing," he said, his eyes full of contempt for his captive. He turned to the panel and tapped one of the buttons there, continuing to speak as part of the wall above the panel slid back to reveal a large, blank screen. "Prisoners are more easily kept if they do not have all the data they require to plan an escape, so I am sure you will understand why I will not be answering any of your questions." He faced Tom again, leaning nonchalantly against the panel behind him. "I am going to contact Captain Janeway, and *you*, Tom Paris, are going to remain quiet unless I tell you to speak. If you disobey me, then be assured that your Chakotay will suffer for your error."

"You leave him alone," Tom warned, his voice low and menacing. "You've hurt him enough."

"His fate is in your hands," Telsesh responded lightly. "If you do not wish to see him harmed further, then all you have to do is cooperate with me. It is as simple as that." He reached round to flick one of the switches. "As you are now aware of the situation, and as I am sure that you will not want to cause any trouble for your Chakotay, I will contact Voyager." The screen behind Telsesh flickered to life as he turned to face it, leaving Tom glowering at his back. 

Tom glanced up as he heard a familiar voice. "Telsesh," Janeway said as her face filled the screen. "You promised to show me my men. Where are they? I want to see them."

"Of course, Captain Janeway," Telsesh said with a smile. He stepped to one side, and gestured to where Tom was seated. "I have Tom Paris here. As you can see, what I told you before was the truth. He is unharmed."

Janeway looked past Telsesh, and saw her pilot restrained in the chair. "Are you all right, Tom?" she asked, her eyes scanning the Lieutenant's body for signs of any injuries.

Tom remained silent, heedful of Telsesh' threats of a few moments ago, but his eyes sought out the Captain's as he tried to convey to her that he had been ordered not to answer.

Janeway understood Tom's plight, and nodded. She returned her attention to the Nahldarian. "Where is my other officer?" she enquired. "I want to see him, too."

"No," Telsesh said, shaking his head. "You will not see him until you agree to listen to my proposal - something that you should have done the last time we spoke. I have acceded to your wishes as much as I am going to. I have allowed you to see your pilot, and that is enough."

"I want to hear from Tom that Chakotay is okay," Janeway insisted. "I won't be listening to anything you have to say, Telsesh, until I'm *sure* my officer is unharmed."

The Nahldarian took a deep breath, and turned to Tom. "Tell her," he said, his eyes glittering a warning for Tom to obey him. "Tell her that your Chakotay is well," he ordered.

"Is that right, Tom? Is Chakotay okay?" Janeway asked, studying Tom's face.

Tom schooled his features to remain neutral as he answered, although he directed his gaze just above her head. "Yes, Captain," he responded. "Chakotay's well."

"You see," Telsesh said, smiling at Janeway. "I have told you the truth. Now you will listen to me." He waved to one of the guards to bring him a chair, then placed it in front of the screen. He sat down, leaning back with an air of arrogance about him as he addressed Voyager's Captain. "You have many things that Kenthah desires," he told her. "But there is one thing he wants above any others. Your pilot has told me of many confrontations that you have had with well-armed and dangerous adversaries, therefore, your ship must carry some very powerful weapons. You will supply us with these weapons," he stated.

Janeway responded immediately. "I will not," she stated forcefully. "I'm not in the habit of arming criminals."

"You do not wish to have your men returned to you?" Telsesh queried. "I thought you were worried about their safety. I thought they were of value to you. After all, I am in possession of your First Officer and your Chief Pilot. Surely they are indispensable to you when you have such a long way to travel to your home. And," he added, reaching into a drawer in the base of the panel in front of him. "I believe you require these." He placed Voyager's stolen components on his lap where Janeway could see them. "If I understand correctly, without this equipment, you and your crew would be unlikely to reach your own area of space within your lifetimes. Can you really afford to reject what I propose we exchange? Voyager's weapons in return for your officers, and the parts that will allow you to complete your journey home."

Tom watched and listened silently as Janeway stated her position. "The components *are* very important," she began. "But they are not irreplaceable. It would cause us to suffer a very long delay while we tried to manufacture new ones, but it *can* be done; it's not impossible. As for my men, you are correct, they *are* valuable to me, but no matter *how* valuable, I cannot put two lives above those of the rest of my crew. And if I supplied you with weapons, there is no guarantee that you wouldn't use them against us. It would also cause a shift in the balance of power in this region of space, and I cannot allow that to happen. So, while I would obviously prefer to have both my men returned, unharmed, along with the parts, I cannot agree to your demands."

"You have reached a hasty decision, Captain Janeway," Telsesh advised her. "I strongly suggest that you think about my offer because it is the only one I am going to make." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Perhaps you need something to convince you to change your mind," he remarked.

"There is *nothing* that could change my mind," Janeway responded, shaking her head. "I *cannot* supply you with weapons, even though my officers' lives are at stake."

"Very well." Telsesh got up from his chair, placing the components on the floor, and went to stand in front of Tom. "Fetch me the gevasen," he ordered the guard nearest the door. "And the application tools."

The guard nodded briskly, and left the room.

"What are you going to do, Telsesh?" Janeway asked, sounding more calm than she actually felt.

Telsesh answered her without turning away from Tom. "As you do not appear to want your pilot, Captain Janeway, I am going to claim him as my own property," he stated.

The guard reappeared then, carrying in one hand, a small clear-glass dish that contained a deep blue viscous substance, and in the other, a small, dull metallic sheet with an intricate design cut from its centre. He also carried a broad-bladed knife in that hand, and he gave it to Telsesh, along with the other items, before he returned to his spot near the door.

"Now, Tom Paris, you will remember what I said to you earlier. You will remain silent," Telsesh ordered. "You know what will happen if you do not." Without waiting for any sign of acknowledgement from Tom, Telsesh went to stand behind him, deliberately making sure that he was out of reach of Tom's unrestrained legs. "Stay still," he commanded as he reached forward and laid the metal plate on Tom's bare chest, just below his left shoulder. He then held the sheet in place with one hand as he delved into the pocket of his pants with his other one.

"I want to know what you're doing, Telsesh," Janeway said as the Nahldarian produced a roll of adhesive tape, then tore pieces off and placed them around the edges of the plate, leaving the sheet firmly affixed to Tom's skin.

"I have already told you," Telsesh replied curtly. "I am claiming Tom Paris as my property." Before he'd even finished speaking, Telsesh had dipped the end of the knife into the dish, and scooped out some of the contents. The blue substance clung to the blade as he moved it towards the plate.

Tom watched as the knife came closer, a pungent smell assaulting his nose as the blade passed beneath his chin. He looked down at the plate on his chest, and could just make out the design there - a series of interlocking triangles of various sizes all contained within a circle.

"You are mine, Tom Paris," Telsesh said as he used the knife to smear the blue paste all over the metal sheet. "I claim you."

Searing pain shot through Tom's body as the substance that Telsesh was coating the sheet with touched his skin in all the places where the metal was absent. His legs jerked upwards involuntarily, and his arms struggled to free themselves from their restraints. His flesh began to smoulder, and he screwed his eyes tightly shut as acrid smoke drifted upwards, choking him. His blood felt as though it was boiling in his veins, flooding his body with indescribable pain as it flowed through him, making its inexorable way to all of his vital organs. It was too much for Tom to take, and blackness engulfed him as he passed out, his head lolling backwards, and his pain-etched face tilting towards the ceiling.

"What the hell did you do to him!" Janeway shouted at Telsesh.

The Nahldarian put the dish and the knife on the floor before turning round to look at the screen. "He wears my badge of ownership now," he informed Janeway. "But what does it matter to you? You did not want him. Or have you changed your mind now?" he asked with a smirk. 

Janeway sighed heavily, rubbing her hand across her flushed and angry face as she gazed past Telsesh, to Tom's still form. "I'm not in a position to change my mind," she stated with quiet control. "I will not give you any weapons."

"Then I invite you to be a witness when I claim ownership of your First Officer," Telsesh said, smiling. "I will contact you tomorrow. Tom Paris will most likely have recovered from his ordeal by then, and I wish *him* to witness me marking Chakotay, as well. Of course, if you *do* reconsider your position before then, I am sure we can resume our negotiations."

"What negotiations?" Janeway questioned. "All you've done is make demands. There's been no room for any bargaining. You said yourself, this 'offer' was the only one you were going to make."

Telsesh shrugged. "I am in the stronger position," he asserted. "Kenthah knows what he wants, and I've been instructed to tell you. You need what we have, and we want your weapons. It is a fair trade. What could be more straightforward than that?"

Janeway shook her head, and sighed again. "It's obvious to me that we aren't going to agree," she said looking directly at Telsesh. "So there's no reason for you to contact me again. You can keep my men," she stated. "And the parts, as well. I will find replacements for all of them. This discussion is at an end." She reached forward as she finished speaking, and Telsesh was left staring at a blank screen, the Captain having closed the link from her end.

Telsesh was livid. He'd expected the female alien to back down at the last moment, and now his credibility with Kenthah was going to suffer because he hadn't secured the deal that he'd been convinced he would obtain. He'd used similar hostage/ransom strategies with other species and had been successful, so why hadn't his tactics worked with these humans? How would he tell Kenthah of his failure? Not wanting to inform his boss of what had happened, he began to grasp at straws. Perhaps the alien would still change her mind. Perhaps he would try to contact her tomorrow as he had said he would. He would convince her that she should cooperate with him. He could still get the weapons then, and his position as one of Kenthah's most trusted men would be safe.

Highly agitated, he turned towards Tom who was still unconscious in the chair, and in anger, kicked out at him, connecting with Tom's right shin. "Take him back to his room," he ordered the guards. "Neither man is to be given any food or water until I say they can have it. Now, get him out of here." 

The guards approached Tom, and one of them carefully removed the tape from around the metal sheet. It dropped to the floor, taking with it the remains of the paste, and leaving behind a patch of red, raw skin that was marked with a raised pattern of tiny blue crystals where the substance had bonded with Tom's flesh. Without any response from Tom, the men removed the metal bands from around his wrists, and lifted him from the chair. A few minutes later, they had carried him back down the corridor and were outside the cell that he shared with his superior officer.

Chakotay looked across to the door as it opened, and his earlier anger was rekindled as he saw the guards carrying Tom into the room. But before he had chance to voice his outrage, the men had dumped Tom on the bed, and left, leaving Tom sprawled partly across his bruised chest, the younger man's skin uncomfortably hot to the touch. He tried to move, pulling at the restraints that still secured his wrists to the bed frame, but only managed to shift enough to allow Tom's head to fall against his neck. It was a comfort though, as this new position allowed him to feel tiny puffs of air against his throat, letting him know that at least Tom was breathing. With difficulty, he bent forward and brushed his lips across the younger man's hair, feeling the dampness that was making the strands cling to Tom's scalp, before his aching neck forced him to drop his head back on to the mattress. Tears stung his eyes as he closed them, his mind working furiously as he contemplated just what he was going to do to Telsesh once he was free.


	11. Chapter 11

"Tom? Tom!" Chakotay called urgently to the semiconscious man lying heavily across his chest. The Lieutenant was moaning incoherently, his red-hot body twitching every now and again as the sweat poured off him and pooled on Chakotay's skin, cooling rapidly and making the older man shiver despite the heat radiating from the feverish man above him. Chakotay stared down at the pilot as best he could, but it hurt to move too much. His neck was becoming increasingly stiff and sore, and he could only catch occasional glimpses of Tom's flushed face. The younger man looked to be in a bad way, and Chakotay was acutely aware of how helpless he was to ease Tom's suffering. "Telsesh, you bastard! Get in here!" he yelled, his loud, angry voice bouncing off the walls of the tiny room. "I know you're watching. Help him!" he ordered. "He's sick. He needs medical attention!"

His demands went unanswered, but it wasn't until his throat was hoarse from repeating them over and over, that Chakotay finally accepted the fact that, apart from him, no-one was concerned with Tom's plight. Telsesh or one of his men were no doubt monitoring the situation, but they were not going to intervene. He looked anxiously down at Tom, wishing for the hundredth time that his arms were free of his bonds so that he could at least hold the younger man and comfort him. 

For a brief moment, Chakotay closed his eyes as his own discomfort took hold. The muscles in his shoulders, back and neck were screaming out for relief after the lengthy time they'd been held in their enforced position. His arms were numb, and Tom's weight was causing his bruised body to ache persistently, but he swallowed hard and forced himself to ignore it all as he resumed his vigil over the babbling man on his chest, coming to the realisation that quietly spoken words were all he had at his disposal in his efforts to settle him. It took a while, but eventually his soft, soothing voice filtered through and Tom finally ceased his ramblings, then lay still. Giving a small relieved sigh, Chakotay stopped talking, but continued to keep watch as best he could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was about an hour later that a soft snuffling noise caught Chakotay's attention. As he moved to gaze at Tom, he was surprised to find that the Lieutenant had managed to lift his head, and Tom's bleary blue eyes were attempting to focus on his face. "Cold, Chay," Tom murmured before his head fell again. "So cold."

"Tom? Can you hear me?" Chakotay asked, relieved that Tom had spoken to him, but worried by the fact that the younger man had said he was cold. And why was Tom calling him 'Chay'? "Tom. It's Chakotay. Can you move?" he queried softly.

"Don't know. Hurts." 

Tom's voice wasn't much more than a puff of breath against Chakotay's skin, but the Commander was overjoyed by it. Even though it was only a whisper, the fact that he'd answered the question meant that Tom was more lucid now. Chakotay lifted his head and spoke to Tom again. "Tom? Try to move," he coaxed. "Try to get the cover, then lie completely on top of me and pull it over you. Maybe that, and the extra body contact, will help to warm you. Do you think you can manage that?"

Chakotay heard Tom draw in a small breath, then felt him nod against his chest. "I'll try," he answered, and slowly began to move. It was a struggle, his body still felt like it was on fire, but Tom located the blanket with one questing hand, then inch by inch, worked it over himself before he wriggled into position and finally collapsed, exhausted, on top of Chakotay. 

"Well done, Tom," Chakotay praised him. "Now you need to rest. When you're feeling stronger, you can tell me what happened to you."

Tom shifted a little, letting his legs drop between Chakotay's, then held as tightly as he could to the older man's body and tucked his head into Chakotay's neck. Feeling more comfortable, and less cold, he made a small sound of compliance, then drifted off to sleep.

Chakotay closed his eyes, wondering again what Telsesh had done to Tom. He hadn't noticed any sign of physical injury, although that wasn't surprising; the guards had thrown Tom on to the bed almost as soon as they'd entered the room, and Chakotay's positioning had made it virtually impossible for him to see any part of Tom except for the top of his head, and his shoulders. It had only been when Tom had shifted that Chakotay had seen the younger man's arms or caught a quick glimpse of his face, and neither had given any clue as to what ordeal the Lieutenant had been through. So what had happened to him? Why was he in such a bad way? Had Telsesh abused him mentally? Or had the Nahldarian used more drugs on him?

Chakotay tried to calm himself. All his worrying speculations were driving him crazy, and were utterly pointless. He would have to wait for Tom to come round again before he would get any answers. Providing, of course, that Tom was up to it. So, for the next couple of hours, Chakotay determinedly kept his wandering mind away from thoughts of Telsesh, instead, focusing all his attention on Tom's slumbering body as he kept vigil over the younger man. But the moment Tom began to stir again, Chakotay immediately returned to his previous thoughts. Perhaps now, *finally*, he would find out what had happened.

Tom came round slowly, with little idea of where he was at first. His head ached, his limbs felt like lead, and it took him a few moments to realise that he was lying spread-eagled across Chakotay. He lifted his head, then winced as the movement caused a sharp pain to race across his chest, making him feel suddenly nauseous. Moving as quickly as his sluggish body would allow, he scrambled to move away from the Commander, his body convulsing as his empty stomach then tried its best to eject its non-existent contents.

"Careful, Tom, or you'll fall," Chakotay warned as the Lieutenant lurched to the side of the bed, his face pale, and his eyes involuntarily watering as he continued to retch.

Incapable of speech, Tom couldn't respond to Chakotay's concern. Violent spasms rocked his body, each uncontrollable shudder bringing with it a wave of pain that surged through him as his muscles contracted. He struggled to bring his knees up to his chest, hoping to ease the vicelike stomach cramps that were almost unbearable in their intensity, but he only succeeded in doing what Chakotay had warned him of. With a strangled cry of pain, Tom crashed to the floor.

"Tom! Tom! Are you okay?" Chakotay called frantically. He could no longer see the younger man, he could only hear Tom moaning and coughing near the bed, and he was beside himself with worry. "Telsesh!" he yelled. "Please! Help him! Now!" 

Again, there was no response to Chakotay's shouts, and in desperation, he pulled roughly at his restraints, making the skin around his wrists chafe and bleed. His efforts to free himself proved useless, though, and the bonds remained firmly in place. Tears ran silently down his face as he realised that there was nothing he could do; Tom was essentially on his own until the episode passed. 

Almost ten minutes went by before Tom started to feel better. Resting his head against the welcome coldness of the stone floor, he took one deep breath after another as the cramps began to subside and the pain lessened. Sweat was pouring from his body, and the pants he still wore were soaked through and clinging uncomfortably to his legs. He pulled at them, easing the damp material away from his skin as he tried to sit up, finally becoming aware of Chakotay's worried voice as he used the edge of the bed to pull himself upright.

"Tom? Speak to me. Please."

The Commander's words were soft, and Tom was surprised to hear a definite tremble in the older man's voice; Chakotay sounded really shaken. He eased himself up further, and leaned over the bed, close to Chakotay's face. "Chakotay?" he questioned, reaching out with an unsteady hand to wipe at the tears glistening on the Commander's cheeks. "Are you okay?" For the first time since he'd been returned to the room, Tom noticed, as Chakotay turned to face him, that the older man was still shackled to the bed. He stared, horrified, at the blood that was dripping from Chakotay's wrists, staining the white sheets below them.

"Tom? Are you better?"

Tom nodded, returning his gaze to Chakotay's face as tears appeared in his own eyes. "Yeah. I'm okay. But you're not. Your wrists are a mess," he stated. "They need attention."

"I'm all right," Chakotay insisted. "I just want to know what happened to *you*, Tom. What did that bastard do to you? What made you so ill?"

Tom looked away for a moment, anger at what Telsesh had done welling up inside him. "He marked me, Chakotay," he said in a soft, intense voice. "He claimed me as his property. Apparently, I belong to him now."

Chakotay responded angrily, jerking his head upwards and staring intently at Tom. "Like hell, you do!" he exclaimed, his ire increasing as he noticed the raised blue design on the raw skin of Tom's chest. "You'll *never* belong to him! If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to make sure that bastard dies a slow and painful death!" He looked wildly around the room as he shouted loudly. "Do you hear that, Telsesh?" he yelled, pretty certain that the Nahldarian was listening. "You're a fucking dead man! And dead men can't own *anyone*!"

"Chakotay. Please. Calm down," Tom soothed, taken aback by the Commander's unexpected outburst. "You're making your wrists bleed more," he continued, alarmed at the way Chakotay's agitation was making him tug at his bonds again. "I know you're a good officer who's always concerned about his men's well-being, but you're hurting yourself. Don't get so worked up. Okay?"

Chakotay was breathing hard, his chest heaving as he dropped his head back to the bed, and turned to face Tom. He nodded to the younger man, then swallowed heavily, acceding to Tom's plea by gradually trying to bring his anger under control. "I'm sorry, Tom, but I... It's...." His words ran dry, and he shook his head, sighing loudly; despite his best efforts, his emotional turmoil was still too great, and it prevented further speech. He wanted to tell Tom that he wasn't only concerned about him as a fellow officer; that his outrage was predominantly personal, not professional. But seeing the mark Telsesh had inflicted, had literally left him angry beyond words.

Tom was totally unaware of the Commander's internal struggles as he reached out to lightly touch the older man's cheek. "That's better," he remarked as Chakotay closed his eyes and began to take deep, calming breaths. "My shirt's still on the floor," he continued. "I'll use it to clean you up."

Chakotay opened his eyes, and shook his head. "No, Tom," he managed to say quietly, his voice still wavering with emotion. "Sort *yourself* out first. You're as pale as a ghost, and you're shivering. You need to get back in bed and warm up."

"You're bleeding, Chakotay," Tom stated again. "I'm going to use part of my shirt to bandage your wrists, *then* I'll get back in bed. Not before. So save your breath, because you're not going to change my mind."

Chakotay snorted. Tom could be really stubborn sometimes. "Okay," he relented. "But don't take too long. I want to know everything that happened while you were with Telsesh, but I want you to be comfortable first. Then, when you've told me all you know, there's some things I really need to tell *you*. As I said before...."

"The Captain," Tom interrupted, stilling his movements. "I should've told you sooner. Telsesh contacted her while I was with him."

"He did? How?" Chakotay asked, puzzled. "The shield...."

"Is no longer in place," Tom cut in. "God knows what day it actually is, but we've been held for longer than we thought. Telsesh deliberately kept us in a state of confusion so we wouldn't be able to plan an escape. And today wasn't the first time he's contacted the Captain, either. He...."

"Wait, Tom," Chakotay instructed. "I told you I wanted you comfortable before you gave me all the details, so come and lie down under the covers. We'll talk about everything once you're warm again."

Tom bent down to retrieve his shirt from the floor, then began to tear it into strips. "When I've sorted you out," he reiterated, using some of the cloth to dab at the blood on Chakotay's wrists.

Realising that Tom was going to attend to his wrists regardless of anything he said, Chakotay kept quiet and let the pilot continue his ministrations, only speaking once Tom had finished a few minutes later. "Thanks, Tom. That does feel better," he conceded, smiling at the look on Tom's face that said 'I told you so.' "Now get in bed, get warm and let's talk."

"Yes, Sir." Tom smiled, then picked up the cover from where it was hanging over the edge of the bed. He hesitated for a moment, not sure just whereabouts he was supposed to lie.

"Climb over me and take the space by the wall," Chakotay said, seeing the uncertainty on Tom's face. "That way, if you go to sleep, I won't worry that you're going to fall out."

Tom nodded, and did as Chakotay suggested, adjusting the blanket until it covered them both. He shivered. While he'd been attending to Chakotay, he hadn't really taken any notice of his own condition, but now, with Chakotay cleaned up, and nothing to hold his attention, he became aware of how cold he was. Chakotay noticed, too.

"Come closer, Tom. Let my body warm you, like it did before."

"Thanks, Chakotay." Tom snuggled up gratefully to the older man, lying on his side and pressing his own cold and clammy body against Chakotay's warm skin. It felt good to be where he was, and he sighed, the comfortable position transporting him back in time to the moment just before Telsesh had entered the room and taken him away. Chakotay had been about to tell him something then - something that had made the older man very nervous, and he began to wonder again what it was. He draped his arm across Chakotay's chest, and looked thoughtfully at the Commander's face, remembering how they'd kissed while trying to keep their conversation hidden from prying eyes and ears. Parts of his memory of that moment were a little fuzzy, and he concluded it was due to whatever drug Telsesh had administered to him without his knowledge. But, despite that, one thing was crystal clear - until Chakotay had explained why their actions were necessary, kissing the man he'd wanted for so long had been one of the best moments of his life. And before his explanation, Chakotay had been responding as though he'd been enjoying it as well.

"Tom? Is everything all right?"

Tom shook his head. "No," he answered quietly. "There's something playing on my mind; something from earlier today." He paused. If he asked, would Chakotay answer? Would Chakotay's reply be what he wanted to hear? Could he ever be that lucky? He decided to find out. "I need to know what you were going to tell me just before Telsesh carted me off. You were really nervous, Chakotay, so it must've been important. You said it had something to do with me."

Chakotay took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Yes, it was important. *Is* important," he said softly. "And it is about you. I was going to tell you what it was after you'd told me what happened with Telsesh."

"I need to know *now*, Chakotay," Tom insisted gently, raising himself up on one elbow and peering down into Chakotay's hesitant-looking eyes. "Please?" he pleaded. "It's all I can think about at the moment."

Chakotay nodded but stayed silent, turning over in his mind how the best way to answer Tom's question would be. He gazed up into Tom's expectant blue eyes, and came to a decision. "Before I tell you, Tom, would you do something for me?" he asked quietly. 

Tom frowned, but answered without hesitation. "Of course. If I can. What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Would you kiss me?" Chakotay whispered, his nervousness robbing him of his voice. "Please, Tom. I need you to."

'Because of the surveillance equipment,' Tom thought. Chakotay wanted to keep their conversation private again. Well, they *were* on a mission, and Chakotay *was* his superior officer, and it *would* be best if they kept as much new information as possible from Telsesh. He sighed internally, then nodded. "Sure, Chakotay. I'll kiss you." He leaned over and placed his lips against Chakotay's, kissing him tenderly.

Chakotay closed his eyes, delighting in the feel of Tom's soft, moist lips, but frustrated that he couldn't wrap his arms around the Lieutenant and hug him for all he was worth. He wanted to make the most of this moment because he was worried that Tom would react badly to what he was going to tell him, and he believed it would be the last chance he would ever get to be even remotely intimate with the younger man. He opened his eyes as Tom pulled away, the pilot looking at him, questioningly. 

"Now, Chakotay. Talk," Tom requested quietly as he studied Chakotay's suddenly apprehensive expression. "What was it you were going to tell me?" he asked. He moved forward until his ear was close to Chakotay's mouth, giving the older man a chance to reply without Telsesh overhearing. 

There was a moment of silence, then a small puff of air against Tom's cheek just before Chakotay spoke. "I promise you that what I'm about to say is the truth," he said softly. "But I need to see your face when I say it, Tom. Look at me. Please. I need to see you." Tom lifted his head and found himself mesmerised by the intense look in Chakotay's dark eyes as the older man spoke again, his nervous voice full of emotion. "I love you, Tom," he said shakily, leaving Tom staring at him in a state of silent shock.


	12. Chapter 12

An almost unnatural stillness pervaded the room as Tom stared wide-eyed at   
Chakotay. Both men were hardly breathing, and Tom was far too stunned to   
respond to what the older man had just told him. He couldn't believe that   
he'd heard him correctly. In fact, he was certain that he must have   
misunderstood. Chakotay couldn't *really* love him. Could he? He swallowed   
heavily as he continued to stare at the man lying motionless next to him,   
unable to put his conflicting thoughts into words.

As the excruciating silence stretched on, Chakotay gave a defeated sigh,   
then spoke in a quiet, resigned voice. "Tom. I'm sorry," he whispered. "It's   
pretty obvious that you didn't want to hear those words from me. I should've   
kept them to myself. I just thought, maybe...." He sighed once more and   
closed his eyes, no longer wanting to see Tom's look of shock, and trying to   
keep at bay the tears that he could feel beginning to well up. "I'm sorry,"   
he whispered again.

Tom's response was cut off before he'd even opened his mouth. There was what   
sounded like phaser fire in the corridor outside their room, and then the   
door slid open to reveal a familiar, but unexpected, figure.

"Amshev? What the hell are *you* doing here? What's going on?"

"I have no time for explanations, Temospah," the Nahldarian said, walking   
quickly towards the bed. "I must get you out of here. Move aside," he   
instructed Tom. "Chayelah, stay still. I will release you from your   
restraints." As the two officers complied, Amshev passed a small silver box   
over each of Chakotay's wrists, the metal bands around them springing open   
less than a second later.

With a groan, Chakotay moved his aching limbs for the first time in many   
hours, and struggled upright. He smiled at the Nahldarian. "I didn't expect   
to see you again, Amshev, but I'm very pleased you're here."

"And I am pleased to be here, Chayelah," Amshev replied, reaching out to   
gently brush Chakotay's hair away from his face. "But we must go now. Your   
Captain is expecting you."

Tom felt a sudden pang of jealousy at Amshev's intimate gesture, but he   
knew, as his Star Fleet training took over, that now wasn't the time for   
personal matters; every minute could be vital to their escape. Once they   
were back on the ship, he would talk to Chakotay and try to straighten   
everything out. He stood, shakily, his feelings well hidden. "Where's   
Telsesh?" he asked, watching Amshev help Chakotay to his feet. "And   
Kenthah?"

"Hopefully, in custody," Amshev replied, slipping his arm around the   
Commander's waist. "My men should have apprehended them by now."

"Your men?" Chakotay queried as Amshev steered him towards the open door.   
"What men? Who do you work for?"

"For the people of Nahldar," Amshev replied proudly. He stopped, briefly   
glancing around at Tom before looking deeply into Chakotay's eyes. "As soon   
as you are safe, I promise I will explain fully. For now, though, just trust   
that I am your friend. I will not let you come to any more harm. Okay?"

Chakotay nodded, a bit bewildered by the turn of events, yet knowing that   
they probably had no other choice but to take Amshev at face value. He   
turned to Tom, casting a brief, wistful glance over the younger man's   
half-naked body, before he returned to his professional demeanour. "Let's   
go, Lieutenant. We don't want to keep the Captain waiting."

Tom noticed the look Chakotay gave him, but before he could give it any   
thought, a sudden flash of memory took precedence. "What about the stolen   
parts?" he asked, remembering that he'd seen Telsesh with them in the   
control room. "Has anyone been instructed to retrieve them?"

"Yes," Amshev confirmed as he led both men into the corridor and started   
towards the lift. "We know where the components are located. My men will get   
them, then pass them on to your Chief Security Officer who is waiting   
outside to collect them."

"This is a joint operation then, between yourself and Voyager," Chakotay   
commented as they walked quickly along the deserted corridor, a haze of   
grey, acrid smoke from some unknown source swirling around near the ceiling.

"Not exactly," Amshev said as they reached the lift, the door opening at   
their approach. He ushered the two men inside, then tapped the control   
panel, instructing the lift to take them to the surface. "Your Captain   
explained that, due to certain circumstances, one of your regulations   
prevented her from giving us as much assistance as she would have liked. I   
also believe she was concerned that I might be like Telsesh; that I had a   
hidden agenda and would, maybe, take more of her crew as hostages rather   
than arrange for your release. Because of this, only my men entered the   
building."

"I presume the regulation you're talking about is the Prime Directive," Tom   
remarked as the door opened, and they stepped out into the corridor that he   
knew would lead them to the kitchen area. "But why would *that* be involved?   
This is just a straightforward rescue situation, isn't it? It's hardly   
likely to alter the course of your planet's history."

"That is where you are wrong, Temospah," Amshev said seriously. "It is a   
moment of great importance for Nahldar."

"How so?" Tom asked as they passed through the kitchen and out into the room   
where he'd once sat and talked to Telsesh. A light shone from a lamp in the   
corner, and he looked around as they headed towards the door on the other   
side, his question momentarily forgotten as he took in the disordered state   
of the room. The glass-strewn floor beneath the shattered window, the   
liberal smattering of recently-shed blood that decorated one of the upturned   
chairs, and the table tilting precariously to one side where one of the legs   
had been broken, testified to the fact that Telsesh' men had put up some   
forceful resistance here.

"All your questions will be answered in due course," Amshev said, opening   
the outside door and walking out into the garden. It was late evening and   
almost dark, the last of the sun's rays mostly hidden by patches of cloud,   
but there was just enough light for them to dimly make out their   
surroundings. He gestured towards a small group of people standing in the   
black shadows beneath the garden's largest tree. "Your friends await you,"   
he said, smiling. "It is time for you to return home." He turned to face   
Chakotay then, speaking to him as though Tom was no longer present.   
"Chayelah," he said softly, taking hold of Chakotay's arm. "I would like to   
visit you on your ship. You have been in my thoughts since we first met, and   
I would like to spend some time with you before you leave this region.   
Please," he continued, stepping closer to the Commander and moving his hand   
to Chakotay's bare shoulder. "Let me come to you privately, after all the   
explanations have been given." He leaned forward as soon as he'd finished   
speaking, and gave Chakotay a quick, gentle kiss on the lips. "Please,   
Chayelah? May I visit you?"

Tom watched and listened to the men's interaction with trepidation; his   
stomach was in knots as he prayed desperately that Amshev's request would be   
refused. Unconsciously, he held his breath as Chakotay answered.

"I would be honoured if you would visit me, Amshev," the Commander replied,   
smiling softly. "And I'll look forward to seeing you as soon as all the   
official business has been completed."

Tom heard no more. A muffled silence filled his ears, and his vision   
blurred, blackness threatening to engulf him as the blood rushed from his   
brain. He was vaguely aware that he was about to pass out, but there was   
nothing he could do to stop it. On unsteady legs, he took one faltering step   
towards the group of people that he could only just see standing beneath the   
tree, but before he could get any further, an arm was wound around his waist   
and he was held close to another's warm body. Just before he lost   
consciousness, he faintly heard a concerned voice quietly calling his name.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chakotay lay on his bed in sickbay, and studied the man lying on his own   
bed, nearby. Tom's face was pale and drawn, and even though it had been   
fifteen minutes since Voyager's transporters had whisked both men away from   
the planet's surface, Tom still showed no signs of coming round. Chakotay   
sighed. The suddenness of their rescue was a little hard to comprehend just   
yet; one moment they'd been talking in their cell, the next, Amshev had led   
them outside and they'd been beamed to sickbay. It almost seemed as though   
all the preceding events had not taken place; he might even have believed   
they *hadn't*, but for the fact that Tom was lying unconscious just a few   
feet away.

His thoughts were interrupted as the door swished open, and the Captain   
entered. Tearing his gaze away from the man lying on the bio-bed adjacent to   
his, he looked up at her.

"Commander. It's good to have you back with us," she stated, stopping next   
to him and looking him over carefully. He'd donned a pair of pyjama bottoms   
that the EMH had handed him shortly after his arrival, but his upper body   
and arms were still uncovered. The mottled bruises on his face and chest,   
and the blood-soaked rags that she could see around his wrists, made her   
wince.

Chakotay smiled, noting the sympathetic look Janeway was giving him. "I'll   
heal," he assured her as he slowly sat up.

"Yes, of course," she said, nodding. She turned her gaze to Tom, lying   
unmoving nearby. "How has he been, Chakotay? Has he regained consciousness   
at all since Telsesh marked him?" she asked quietly.

Chakotay inhaled sharply at the mention of the Nahldarian's name. "You know   
about that?" he queried. "You know who did it? What happened?"

"Yes," Janeway confirmed. "I saw the whole thing. Telsesh had contacted me   
to conduct what he apparently thought of as negotiations. When I refused to   
cooperate with him, he decided to claim Tom as his property and marked him   
accordingly, while I watched."

"I didn't know you'd witnessed it, Kathryn," Chakotay remarked, trying to   
remain calm. "After he was returned to our cell, Tom was only semiconscious   
most of the time. Then, after he did come round fully, we didn't really get   
chance to talk."

"He *has* been conscious, then."

"Yes. But all he told me was that Telsesh had contacted you. I never heard   
any of the details," Chakotay responded, his gaze wandering back to Tom.

"I see." Janeway looked up as the EMH came out of his office, a pensive look   
on his face as he quickly walked across to stand at the foot of Tom's   
bio-bed. "Is everything all right, Doctor?" she asked as he looked down at   
the still figure there.

"Not entirely, Captain. The results of the tests I ran on Lieutenant Paris   
show that his present condition is quite serious," the EMH replied, turning   
his attention to Janeway. "The problem stems from the crystals that form the   
design on his chest. They are also present in his bloodstream, and are   
reaching toxic levels. I need to operate in order to remove the source of   
the chemical before his vital organs are affected."

"How long will the operation take, Doctor?" Janeway questioned, her eyes   
trained on the blue pattern just below Tom's left shoulder. "And is it   
likely to be successful?"

"The entire procedure will take about an hour, and although Mr. Paris'   
current status is poor, once the chemical has been eradicated from his   
system, he should recover quite quickly. After the operation, while he's   
still sedated, I'll take the opportunity to remove the sub-dermal implants   
from his face. He'll be back to his normal self when he wakes up."

Janeway gave a sigh of relief. "That's good news. How long before you can   
begin the operation?"

"I'll start as soon as I've done something about the Commander's injuries,"   
the EMH replied, moving towards Chakotay. "None are life-threatening, but I   
don't want them to become infected. It shouldn't take more than fifteen   
minutes to regenerate the worst of them. The Lieutenant won't come to any   
harm in that length of time." He addressed Chakotay directly, then. "But I   
won't be able to remove *your* implants until later, Commander. You'll need   
to return to sickbay after I've finished operating on Mr. Paris. I'll remove   
them then, and finish regenerating your more minor wounds."

Chakotay nodded, his mind occupied with matters besides his own condition,   
and he made no objection when the EMH took hold of his right arm and began   
to unwind the cloth from around his wrist. It was Janeway's voice that   
eventually brought him out of his reverie.

"Chakotay? Would you feel up to joining the rest of the senior staff in the   
briefing room in about half an hour? I'm expecting a visit from Amshev. He's   
offered to bring us up to date on the current situation, and to answer any   
questions we have."

Chakotay answered as the makeshift bandage was finally removed, and the   
damage to his wrist was exposed to the Doctor's keen inspection. "I'll   
report there as soon as the Doctor releases me, Captain," he said, watching   
her as she then nodded and moved towards the door.

"Good. I'll see you again, shortly," she remarked, before addressing the   
EMH. "Inform me if there's any change in Lieutenant Paris' condition,   
Doctor," she instructed. "I'll be in the briefing room."

"Yes, Captain," the Doctor replied, then returned his attention to Chakotay   
as Janeway left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Janeway looked around at the people assembled in the briefing room, acutely   
aware that her Chief Pilot was not amongst their number; the atmosphere was   
a little subdued, Tom's often irreverent humour conspicuous by its absence.   
But he wasn't the only member of the senior staff not in attendance.   
Chakotay had yet to arrive from sickbay, and B'Elanna was busy in   
engineering - the reinstallation of the retrieved components, her main   
priority.

Janeway glanced at Tuvok, who sat to her left. The Vulcan had not long   
returned from Nahldar, but he was his usual immaculately-turned-out self. He   
was sitting perfectly still, silently regarding Amshev. The Nahldarian had   
accompanied Tuvok back to the ship, along with the parts that his men had   
recovered, and was now attempting to engage Harry Kim in small talk while   
they waited for Chakotay to arrive. But, despite Amshev's pleasant manner,   
Janeway noticed that Harry seemed slightly on edge, and assumed, correctly,   
that he was worried about his best friend, currently being operated on by   
the EMH.

The door opened, and interrupted Janeway's thoughts. She looked up, smiling.   
"Well, Commander. You look much better than you did earlier," she remarked   
as Chakotay entered, pleased that there was no longer any evidence of   
bruising on his face. He still had Nahldarian features, his long auburn hair   
neatly tied back with black cord, but the uniform he now wore, and the   
confident air he exuded, clearly showed that he was Voyager's First Officer.

"Thank you, Captain. I feel much better," Chakotay answered with a smile of   
his own. He stepped further into the room, but stopped as Amshev rose from   
his seat and stood in front of him.

"Chayelah. You are looking well," the Nahldarian greeted him softly. He   
gestured towards the empty seat to the right of his own. "Come. Sit next to   
me."

Chakotay nodded, and they sat, at least two sets of eyes watching them with   
curiosity. Janeway broke the silence that had ensued.

"Now that everyone who can be here, *is* here, let's begin." She turned her   
gaze to Amshev. "For the benefit of the Commander, perhaps you could tell us   
again how you came to be involved in his and Lieutenant Paris' rescue."

"Of course, Captain Janeway." Amshev smiled, then turned to face Chakotay.   
"It is very simple really, Chayelah," he stated. "Kenthah, Telsesh and I   
work for the same people."


	13. Chapter 13

Chakotay was stunned. He stared at Amshev with a look of complete disbelief   
written across his face as he questioned him. "You work with Kenthah and   
Telsesh?" he asked with disgust.

Amshev shook his head emphatically. "No, no, Chayelah. That is not what I   
said," he stated hurriedly. "Although I worked alongside Telsesh at the   
club, I did not work with him in any other capacity; that is not what I was   
referring to."

"Then, what *were* you referring to?" Chakotay enquired, still staring at   
him. "Tell me, Amshev."

Amshev sighed, nodding. He caught and held Chakotay's gaze. "On the planet,   
I told you that I work for the people of Nahldar; I do," he said, trying to   
convey the truth of his words with his eyes. "I am employed by my world's   
governing body, as are, or were, Kenthah and Telsesh," he explained. "None   
of us actually appear on any employment records, though; for differing   
reasons, our positions were not able to be justified."

Chakotay leaned back in his chair, frowning at Amshev's confusing   
statements. "Go on," he instructed.

The Nahldarian gave another small nod of his head, then continued. "Put   
simply," he began again. "Our government has been corrupt for a very long   
time. Rather than invest in the research and development of our own   
technology, many of our esteemed leaders and scientists have been content to   
steal it from others, and at the same time, line their own pockets with the   
profits. Kenthah was employed covertly for this very reason. He was not a   
rogue individual; he had the backing of the Nahldarian government."

"And what, exactly, is *your* part in this?" Chakotay queried.

"Not *everyone* within the government condoned what went on," Amshev stated.   
"I am a military-trained special operative who sympathised with the   
objectors, and two years ago I was recruited to help in the fight to oust   
the people who were involved in these unlawful acts. We needed to obtain the   
names of every single person in the corrupt representatives' employ, and for   
this reason, I took the decision to work undercover as a Vlenkla. We knew   
that Telsesh was involved, and that he was one of Kenthah's more senior men,   
so I watched him and identified his contacts. Between myself and the many   
others who worked for the chance to end the corruption, we built up a   
comprehensive list of names until all we needed was the right moment to make   
our move. We were about to do just that, when your Captain made a request to   
our government for help. Knowing that Kenthah was likely to take hostages,   
we delayed our planetwide operation in order to help you. As it turned out,   
we were able to combine the two; you and Temospah were rescued and the parts   
recovered, and Nahldar now has a new, and honest, governing body."

"So, you overthrew your government," Chakotay remarked. He turned to look at   
Janeway. "That was why the Prime Directive prevented you from assisting   
Amshev in his operation. It wasn't solely a rescue mission; he was taking   
government employees into custody, too. The entire future of Nahldar was   
about to be changed."

"Yes, Commander. That's correct," Janeway confirmed. "But, quite honestly,   
there was no reason for us to intervene anyway. Amshev already had   
everything under control. He contacted me as soon as the planet's shield had   
been removed, and told me what had been going on. He knew where you and   
Lieutenant Paris were being held, and once I'd explained the limitations of   
the Prime Directive, he invited us to send people along to collect you after   
you'd been rescued."

"How did you know where we were, Amshev? Did the tracking devices our Doctor   
fitted us with lead you to us? Chakotay asked, returning his attention to   
the man on his left. "And did you know our real identities when we first   
met?"

"I knew who you were *before* we met, Chayelah; I had been told of the   
documents that had been issued to you. Unfortunately, I could not inform you   
of that, or prevent your subsequent kidnapping. Kenthah's men were in   
evidence at the club, so I had to keep up a professional appearance; I could   
not afford to come under suspicion, especially when we were so close to   
putting our plan into action. But I was expecting you to show up, and I   
prepared a special drink for you. Along with the usual drugs that a Vlenkla   
uses, I placed a chemical tracing-agent into the liquor that I gave to you   
and Temospah. Because of the shield, your Doctor's devices would have been   
ineffectual, even had I known about them. As it was, the substance I   
administered allowed me to follow your movements after Gelvash took you   
hostage."

"And Tom? Temospah. What about him? Why did you let Telsesh take him?   
Couldn't you have prevented that?"

"No, Chayelah. I could not prevent it," Amshev said apologetically. "Again,   
I could not afford to come under suspicion. But I could track him, and I saw   
where Telsesh took him at first. I was observing them from the window in the   
club's storage room - it is high up and overlooks the alleyway at the back   
of the building. I saw them outside the trade entrance to the neighbouring   
club. Telsesh left not long after they had entered, but Temospah remained   
behind. Your colleague was kept there for several days before he was   
transferred to the place where you were being held. Once you were together,   
it was much easier to incorporate your rescue into our plans, and there was   
less chance of failure."

"Let me get something straight here," Chakotay said, looking thoughtful.   
"The Nahldarian government issued us with documentation so that Telsesh   
could lead us into a trap. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Amshev confirmed. "And it also reinforced their statement that   
Kenthah was working independently. By giving you the required documents,   
they took suspicion away from themselves. They could be seen to be offering   
help, albeit limited."

Harry Kim cleared his throat, and looked at Janeway. "There's something that   
I'd like to ask, too, Captain," he said, a slight frown on his face.

Janeway nodded at him. "Of course, Ensign," she responded. "Ask away."

"Well," Harry began hesitantly. "If the Nahldarians were so intent on   
stealing our technology, why didn't they just attack our ship? Why all the   
pretence?" he asked, puzzled.

"I believe I can answer that," Tuvok stated. He leaned forward, resting his   
elbows on the table in front of him as he began his explanation. "The theft   
of parts, and the subsequent kidnappings, were planned in such a way as to   
avoid unnecessary confrontation with us and any allies we might have. By   
leaving the crimes to someone who was said to be a powerful individual, the   
government could pretend that they, too, were at the mercy of Kenthah and   
could not help us for fear of reprisal. This method ensured that they very   
rarely, if ever, suffered any kind of loss as it was highly unlikely that   
their planet would come under attack because of what was deemed to be one   
person's actions."

"So, in essence, Kenthah got the blame, and the government got the spoils,"   
Chakotay summed up.

"That is one way of putting it, yes," Tuvok agreed.

Chakotay leaned towards Amshev then, and looked at him keenly. "What's going   
to happen to Kenthah and his men now that they're in custody?" he asked.   
"What will happen to Telsesh?"

"Their dishonourable and illegal actions will be made known to the whole of   
Nahldar. Their crimes are well documented, so they cannot avoid their fate.   
They will be transferred to a secure prison on one of our colonies, and it   
is doubtful that any of them will ever be released."

Chakotay nodded, satisfied that Telsesh would be deprived of his freedom,   
most probably for the rest of his life. But something was still nagging at   
him; a thought that he'd been about to voice when Harry had spoken a few   
moments earlier and made him briefly forget his question. "There's just one   
more thing that's puzzling me," he remarked, sitting back. "Have you any   
idea why Telsesh didn't show up at the original rendezvous point? Surely it   
would have been easier for him to take us captive then, rather than let us   
find our way to the club."

"It was their usual method," Amshev stated. "Kenthah did not like to take   
risks. Despite the technology that was available for his use, he would not   
have been certain that you did not possess something superior. He would have   
instructed Telsesh to be wary of you. Telsesh would not have known whether   
you carried sophisticated weapons, so he chose instead to befriend you and   
take you by surprise. There was less risk of him suffering personal harm   
that way."

The room became silent for a few moments after Amshev finished speaking, the   
Starfleet officers all pondering the explanations that they'd heard. "Are   
there any more questions?" Janeway finally asked.

"Yes, Captain," Chakotay answered. "How long before the stolen parts are   
completely reintegrated into the ship's systems and are in working order?"

"Lieutenant Torres estimated that they should be fully operational by 2300   
hours. The new Nahldarian government doesn't require us to give further   
statements or evidence, so we'll leave orbit once the replacement's   
complete."

"So, we'll be on our way in less than two hours," Chakotay commented.

"Yes," Janeway confirmed. "But you won't be required on the bridge,   
Commander. Once the Doctor's finished with you, you're off duty until   
further notice." She looked around at the other occupants of the briefing   
room. "Is there anything else?" she asked. "No? Then there's just one very   
important thing left to do." She turned to address the Nahldarian, her voice   
quiet and sincere. "Amshev. You returned my men to me, and with the   
retrieval of the components, you gave us the means to continue our journey   
towards our home. You helped us even though our regulations prevented *us*   
from helping *you*. I want you to know that we are all profoundly grateful   
to you. Thank you."

Amshev bowed his head, then smiled. "You are most welcome, Captain Janeway,"   
he responded. "I am pleased that I could be of service to you and your   
ship, and I wish you a safe and speedy return to your home."

"Thank you, Amshev," Janeway said, returning his warm smile. "Now," she   
continued. "You probably want to return to Nahldar straight away, so I'll   
arrange for someone to accompany you to the transporter room."

"Thank you, Captain, but I have arranged to spend a little time with   
Chayelah before your ship departs. I hope that you have no objection to   
that."

"No, of course not," Janeway replied quickly, although her expression showed   
she was clearly surprised, if not a little curious. "But the Commander does   
need to return to sickbay now. Perhaps you'd like someone else to keep you   
company while he's there."

Amshev shook his head. "If Chayelah doesn't mind, I will go with him. I   
would like to see Temospah before I leave, anyway. Is that acceptable to   
you, Chayelah?"

"Yes, that's fine, Amshev. We'll go now if the Captain's finished with me,"   
Chakotay said, looking questioningly at Janeway.

Janeway pushed her chair back from the table, and stood. "Dismissed," she   
said, waving her hand to indicate that she meant all her officers.

As everyone made their way to the door, Harry caught up with Chakotay.   
"Commander? I was going to call into sickbay to see how Tom was; I was just   
wondering if that was okay with you, or if I'd be in the way."

"You wouldn't be in the way, Harry. If Tom's awake, I'm sure he'd love to   
see you," Chakotay said, moving aside to let Tuvok pass. "We'll all walk   
down there together. Come on."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His world was black, and silent. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't   
move. Vague thoughts flitted just out of reach, coming close at times, but   
flying away again before he could grasp them. There was a feeling of warmth;   
the feeling that he wasn't alone; that he was somewhere safe, but his brain   
wouldn't allow him any further insight into his surroundings.

The time passed, but he had no knowledge of hours or minutes. Brief snatches   
of sound suddenly invaded the darkness, growing clearer until he understood.   
Voices. Nearby. Talking about him. To him. Talking to each other. He wanted   
to open his eyes, to let whoever was speaking know he was aware of them, but   
his body refused to cooperate. All he could do was listen.

"Yes, Ensign Kim, as soon as Lieutenant Paris wakes up, I'll be sure to let   
you know. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do."

The sound of the door swishing open, then shutting again.

"Now, Commander. Hop up on to that bed, and I'll restore your human features   
in no time. You'll only require a local anaesthetic. Your friend can wait in   
my office."

Footsteps quickly crossing the room, then a few moments of silence.

"Lie down, Commander. This won't take long, and I'll even get that concealed   
tattoo back into view for you."

A soft hissing sound. A hypospray?

"Are you sure Tom's okay? Shouldn't he have come round by now?"

An annoyed snort. "No-one seems to trust my professional judgement. All I   
get are questions, questions and more questions. Why can't you all accept   
what I tell you? The Lieutenant is fine. He'll regain consciousness as soon   
as he's ready to. There's nothing to worry about. Is that clear enough?"

"Perfectly, Doctor." A quiet statement spoken with a hint of well suppressed   
humour.

"Now lie still, and keep quiet."

An occasional beep from one of the monitors beside his bed. The clattering   
of metal instruments being picked up and placed down again on a nearby tray.   
Quiet, steady breaths - not his own.

A while later. "Just another moment or two."

The low buzz of a regenerator.

"Good. Now remove the top half of your uniform, and I'll use the regenerator   
on your remaining cuts and bruises."

The soft sounds of cloth against cloth; clothes being removed. The buzzing   
again as wounds were healed.

"All done. You can replace your clothing, carefully, but I need you to rest   
for a while. Your friend can come and talk to you now, if you'd like. I need   
my office, anyway."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Soft rustling of material. Footsteps approaching, stopping nearby.

"Chayelah." A moment's silence. "You look so different. But still so   
beautiful. Please. Would you allow me to touch your face?"

A gentle laugh. "Yes, if you really want to."

"So smooth without your ridges. Soft."

"Amshev."

"I know, Chayelah."

"Good. I thought you might've forgotten. I really meant what I said on the   
planet, you know."

A soft sigh. "Yes. I know."

"Love is strange."

"Yes, it is. And it hits you when you least expect it to, Chayelah."

"Exactly." A deeper sigh. Another. "I'm glad I had this chance to see you   
privately. And I'm glad you understand."

"I do understand, Chayelah. Although, on Nahldar, when you first agreed to   
see me, I thought there was a chance. But when you told me in words, then   
showed me with actions where your heart really lies, I knew you would never   
love me the way I wanted you to. You caught Temospah before he'd even   
started to fall. Even though you were still talking to me, telling me that   
you could only love me as a friend, you noticed he was ill. You are so   
attuned to him."

"I love him, Amshev. Deeply. I always have and I always will. Even though he   
doesn't love me, I can't change my feelings for him."

"Perhaps one day he will love you."

A puff of breath and a resigned voice. "I doubt it. I'd convinced myself   
that he *did* care for me, so I told him how I felt about him. He didn't   
respond. Not a single word."

"I'm sorry."

Silence.

A faint glimmer of light.

"Commander? You may go now. I suggest you get some sleep."

Eyelids flickering. A bright glow above him.

"Thank you, Doctor. Goodnight."

Blinking. Eyes wide open. He could see. His body was starting to respond to   
his wishes. He rolled his head to the side, and saw Chakotay and Amshev near   
the door. He licked his dry lips and tried out his voice. "Chakotay?" he   
croaked.

"Tom?" Chakotay crossed the room quickly and stopped at Tom's bed. "How are   
you feeling?" he asked.

Tom gazed up at the man bending over him. "I heard you, Chakotay," he stated   
in a hoarse whisper. "We need to talk."


	14. Chapter 14

"Tom." Chakotay's face was pale as he seated himself on the edge of Tom's bed, struggling to find some kind of response to the younger man's statement. "I didn't realise you were awake," he finally said, sighing softly. He glanced apprehensively at Tom's face, and intense blue eyes caught him before he could look away again.

"Chakotay. It's okay," Tom whispered, his voice still raspy. He fumbled for Chakotay's hand which was resting on the bed. "But we do need to talk," he continued quietly, giving the hand a gentle squeeze. "I have to tell you something." A movement caught his eye then, and he turned his head to see the Doctor and Amshev approaching. "Not now, though. Later. Please?"

Chakotay nodded. Tom didn't seem angry, but he was convinced the Lieutenant just wanted to explain privately that he wasn't interested in hearing any more declarations of love. Well, if that was how it had to be.... "Of course, Tom. We'll talk as soon as you're well enough," he said with an attempt at a smile. "I'm off duty until further notice, so any time's fine with me." 

"Thanks, Chakotay." Tom smiled, then let go of Chakotay's hand. He turned to look at the others who had stopped close by. "Amshev," he addressed the Nahldarian. "I'm very glad I got the chance to see you again. I haven't got a clue how you did it, but I want to say thank you for rescuing us."

"You are most welcome, Temospah," Amshev replied bowing his head. "I am very glad I could help. The explanation of how your rescue came about, I am sure Chayelah will tell you." He looked past the silent EMH to Chakotay. "It is late, Chayelah, and I should be going. Not only should you be resting now, but there are many things that need my attention on Nahldar. I would be most grateful, though, if you could accompany me to the transporter room before you retire to your bed." 

"Of course I'll accompany you," Chakotay responded, standing and straightening his uniform. "It's the very least I can do after everything you've done for us." 

Amshev bowed low. "It was my pleasure." He looked across to the bed and smiled warmly at Tom. "Goodbye, Temospah. I wish you happiness and good fortune. May you be lucky enough to find, and never lose, your heart's desire."

Tom pulled himself up into a sitting position and returned the Nahldarian's smile. "Good luck to you, too, Amshev, and thanks again," he said as the two men turned to leave. "And Chakotay?" he called softly, causing the Commander to look back at him just as the door opened. "I'll comm you soon."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The distance from sickbay to the transporter room was covered quickly, but in pensive silence. As they entered, Chakotay addressed the Ensign who was on duty there. "I'll take over for a while, Ensign," he instructed, gesturing towards the exit. 

Acknowledging the order, the officer left her station, and as the door slid closed behind her a moment later, Amshev moved close to Chakotay, placing his hand on the Commander's arm. "Thank you, Chayelah. I was hoping I would be able to say goodbye to you in private." He moved his hand upwards and lightly ran his fingers over Chakotay's cheek. "If your heart had not belonged to another, Chayelah, I would have asked you to stay with me on Nahldar," he said softly. "Perhaps then, I would not have needed to say goodbye."

Chakotay gave the Nahldarian a gentle smile and covered the man's hand with his own. "Perhaps," he agreed, although truthfully he knew he could never have stayed even if he'd wanted to; the safety of Voyager's crew, and their attempt to reach home, would always come before his personal wishes. "You're a good man, Amshev," he stated, noting the Nahldarian's moist eyes. "You won't stay alone forever. There's someone waiting for you who you just haven't found yet. I'm sure of it."

Amshev nodded weakly. "Maybe. But I have lost you, Chayelah," he said quietly. He dropped his gaze to the floor, tears rolling silently down his cheeks. 

Chakotay sighed and pulled the Nahldarian close, hugging him tightly. "Amshev," he said softly. "You'd lost me before you ever found me. Even though he doesn't want me, I belong to Tom. That will never change. I'm sorry."

"I know. I am sorry, also," Amshev stated as he pulled back slightly to look into Chakotay's eyes. "But I would ask for one last memory of you, Chayelah; just one more kiss. Please?"

Chakotay didn't need to think about his answer. Leaning forward, he captured Amshev's mouth, pulling the Nahldarian close again as he kissed him tenderly, pouring all his thanks for his and Tom's rescue into the moment, and letting Amshev know that he would always appreciate the love that had been offered to him. 

When they parted a few minutes later, Amshev took one long last look at Chakotay. Turning towards the transport pad, he stepped up on to the platform, tears still trickling down his face as he gestured that he was ready to leave. Chakotay moved across to the control panel, and with Amshev's gaze still riveted on him, activated the transporter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bolting upright in a state of total panic, the only thought in Chakotay's head was that he'd drifted off to sleep when he should have been keeping vigil over Tom. The fact that he was in his own quarters, and no longer in the cell that Telsesh had kept him and Tom locked up in, didn't register. In his mind, he was still chained to a cold bed in an alien room, unable to physically comfort the man he loved or protect him from further harm. He could still hear Tom's moans and feel his sweating, shuddering body plastered across his own; still feel the hopelessness that had pervaded him when Tom had fallen from the bed to lie alone and out of his sight on the hard floor, and felt, vividly, his anger at seeing the mark of ownership that Telsesh had left on Tom's chest. 

In a moment of unconscious rage, he pulled fiercely at the bonds that he thought still held him. There was no resistance, though, and his violent movement sent him flying from the bed. Crashing heavily to the floor, he awoke with a start, his eyes darting in all directions until he finally recognised where he was. "Computer," he called, shakily. "Time?"

"The time is 1630 hours."

Chakotay grabbed the side of the bed and pulled himself upright. The room was fairly dark, lights only at five percent, so he found his gaze drawn to the viewport. By the way the glow from the stars they passed seemed to merge into continuous streaks of white, he judged they were travelling at around warp five. Nahldar would be far behind them now. The ship had broken orbit shortly before he'd gone to bed, and that's when it dawned on him that he'd slept for over seventeen hours.

Rubbing a hand across his face, he wandered to the bathroom. Despite the length of time he'd spent resting, he still felt weary, something that perhaps a warm, unhurried shower would cure. He turned on the water and stepped under it, closing his eyes as it cascaded over him, washing away the last traces of sleep as it slowly revitalised both his body and mind.

Twenty minutes later, feeling more refreshed, he dried himself off and returned to his bedroom. The bed still looked inviting though, so he stretched himself out on top of the rumpled covers, the twinkling light from the stars bathing his naked body as he relaxed. He'd almost drifted back to sleep when the insistent sound of his comm badge chirping brought him back to reality.

"Chakotay here."

"It's Tom. About that talk... Are you busy?"

The air of calm that Chakotay had managed to muster since waking from his nightmare, vanished in an instant. He felt his stomach tighten in nervous anticipation of the encounter that he knew was unavoidable. But perhaps it would be better to face it sooner rather than later. "No, Tom, I'm not busy. When and where did you want to meet?"

"I could call by in about fifteen minutes, if that's okay."

Chakotay hesitated. Fifteen minutes? "Okay," he finally agreed. "I'll see you then. Chakotay out." The link was cut, and Chakotay idly played with his comm badge for a moment before replacing it on the table beside his bed. He sighed; he could feel the muscles in his neck beginning to tense as his spirits plummeted further. Tom would be here soon, putting an end to all the dreams he'd ever had that the younger man might one day love him back; telling him, in no uncertain terms, to keep his words of love to himself, that they weren't wanted. He gave a soft snort. What had he expected, really? He'd never approached the pilot before because he was certain that he'd be rejected. He had to face it, he was about to be proved right.

With another dejected sigh, Chakotay headed for his closet and pulled out the first things that came to hand - a pair of old, worn-out jogging pants, and a loose-fitting T-shirt that had also seen better days. Not bothering with either underwear or socks, he dressed quickly, then ambled out into his living area and crossed to the replicator. There was just enough time for a soothing cup of tea before Tom arrived.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tom checked his appearance in the mirror one last time, carefully brushing into place a stray strand of hair that had previously escaped his notice. He nodded at his reflection; after an hour of preparation prior to calling Chakotay, and ten minutes of 'fine-tuning' afterwards, he finally deemed himself ready to leave his cabin and head to the First Officer's quarters. It was time to set the record straight, and tell Chakotay he loved him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door chimed just as Chakotay was placing his empty cup on the low table in front of him, the soft sound startling him even though he'd been expecting it. The tea hadn't worked its magic this time, and ever since he'd sat down, he'd been lost in a world of gloomy thoughts, his mind working overtime as he tried to figure out just how the approaching scenario would unfold. Tom hadn't seemed mad at him before, but had time served to fuel the younger man's anger? Would Tom shout his displeasure, or even resort to violence? 

With a great deal of apprehension, Chakotay got up from the couch and called for his visitor to enter. But as the door slid open, and he caught a glimpse of Tom waiting to be invited in, his anxiety level increased even further. He suddenly found his whole being suffused with a sense of foreboding, and he tried desperately to calm himself, but it wasn't until he heard Tom's concerned voice that he realised he'd closed his eyes in the attempt.

"Chakotay, are you okay? Did I get you out of bed?" the pilot asked, studying the older man's mussed hair and what he believed were his sleep clothes. He stepped into the room and laid a gentle hand on Chakotay's arm. "Should I come back some other time?"

Chakotay opened his eyes, his gaze going straight to the pale fingers that were resting on the darker skin of his own arm, and to Tom's thumb that was lightly stroking him there. In the highly agitated state he'd managed to work himself into, the small amount of contact was enough to send a shiver throughout his entire body.

"I think you should sit down, Chakotay. You don't look well," Tom stated, gripping the older man's arm more firmly. "Or I could call the Doc," he suggested.

Chakotay shook his head, taking in Tom's well-groomed appearance before he looked up into the pilot's worried face. "I don't need the Doctor, Tom. And, no, I don't want to delay our talk. As far as I'm concerned, the sooner it's over with, the better," he said with a deep sigh. He pulled out of Tom's grasp and headed for the couch. Sinking down, he leaned his head against the back and stared up at the ceiling, jealousy bubbling up inside him as his mind suddenly hit on a reason for why Tom was so immaculately dressed - the younger man had a date set up for after their talk. The thought disturbed him so much that he didn't feel the couch dip as Tom sat down next to him.

"Chakotay. I'm confused," Tom said, genuine puzzlement in his voice. "I thought you wanted this."

Chakotay gave a quick, irritated snort and sat up. "Wanted *what*?" he asked, turning his head towards Tom, but refusing to meet his eyes. "For you to come here and tell me what a fool I am? To tell me that you could never love me the way I love you? Tell me 'thanks, but no thanks'? And while you're telling me, do you think I want to see you sitting there looking so damned gorgeous when I know it's for someone else's benefit? I don't think so." He got up quickly, completely missing Tom's amazed and bewildered expression. "Look, Tom. I'll save you the bother of telling me anything. I understand. You don't want me. You never did and you never will. You were just playing a part while we were on Nahldar. I misinterpreted your reactions, and I'm sorry." He paused just long enough to take a quick breath as he gestured towards the door. "Thanks for dropping by, Lieutenant," he said coolly. "I'll see you on duty." 

"Chakotay. No." Tom jumped up from the couch and walked towards the obviously distressed man. "You've got it all wrong," he insisted, stopping in front of him and trying to catch his eye. "I wasn't just playing a part. I wanted you. I still do. I've *always* wanted you. Do you understand what I'm saying?" he queried, stepping closer and taking a firm hold of Chakotay's shoulders. "Do you?"

Chakotay looked up into Tom's intense blue eyes. They locked with his own, sending a shiver down his spine as they drew him into their depths. He swallowed hard. *Did* he understand? Did Tom really mean what his words seemed to suggest? Did Tom love him? It was highly doubtful. "You never said anything," he said quietly, trying his best to be calm. "On the planet, when I told you how I felt, you never..." He sighed heavily, and shook his head. "Not one word, Tom. You never said a single word."

"I know. I'm sorry," Tom said softly, beginning to lightly massage the tense muscles beneath his fingers. "I wasn't sure...."

"How you felt about me," Chakotay interrupted with another sigh. "It's okay. I understand."

"No, Chakotay. That's *not* what I was going to say." He broke eye contact then, and nodded towards the couch. "Let's sit back down. Okay? We've *got* to get this sorted out." Wordlessly, Chakotay followed Tom to the couch and they retook their seats. "Now," Tom said softly. "Let me explain. Please. Without interruption." 

Chakotay nodded slowly, his expression that of weary acceptance. "Go ahead, Tom. I'm listening," he sighed.

Tom shuffled closer, seeking out and recapturing Chakotay's eyes. "Chakotay," he said quietly. "From the moment we first met, I've wanted you." He quickly held up his hand as he saw Chakotay's mouth open, ready to speak. "It's the truth. Really. But I thought you weren't interested in guys, so I never did anything about it," he explained, placing a hand on Chakotay's knee. "It was only when I saw you with Amshev that I realised I was wrong about you; he wasn't the first man you'd ever been with, was he?"

Chakotay shook his head, Amshev's tearful farewell the previous evening flashing into his mind. "No, he wasn't," he replied honestly. "But he's the only man I've ever been with who's loved me."

Tom sighed heavily and looked away, staring out the viewport behind them. "In the club, I could see he was more than just attracted to you," he stated quietly. "And for a while, I thought you felt the same way about him." He paused, trying to prevent a repeat of the jealous feelings that had overwhelmed him several times on Nahldar. "You have no idea how hard that was for me; watching you and him together, seeing him do things that I'd been dreaming of for years." He turned back, lifting a trembling hand to Chakotay's cheek. "Chakotay. I love you," he said softly, his fingers working their way upwards to thread themselves through Chakotay's hair. "But when you told me that *you* loved *me*, I was stunned. Okay? Too stunned to even speak. It was a dream come true, and I just couldn't accept that it was real." He looked earnestly at the older man, willing him to believe what he'd just said. "Do you understand now, Chakotay?" he asked, moving his other hand to the Commander's face. "I love you." Slowly, carefully, he pulled Chakotay's head towards him. "I love you," he whispered again, gently brushing the older man's lips with his own. "Understand?"

Drawing back slightly, Chakotay saw the absolute truth written in Tom's moist eyes. Finally, he *did* understand, and he was completely overwhelmed; Tom *loved* him. After all the worrying he'd done; after all the anxiety; Tom *honestly* loved him. 

With tears of relief and elation slowly trickling down his cheeks, Chakotay reached for Tom's waist, dragging the pilot on to his lap as their mouths met again and again, the sweet and gentle touches lasting longer each time their lips came together, tender kisses growing deeper and deeper as the minutes passed. Years of wanting melted away, to be replaced by a reality that neither man had truly believed possible; they were in each other's arms, with the welcome knowledge that their love, each for the other, was accepted and returned.

"Tom," Chakotay murmured as he slowly pulled away from Tom's mouth, his gentle hands taking hold of the pilot's head. "Let me look at you again, Tom. I need to see you," he whispered urgently. He held Tom still, the younger man's face just inches from his own. "I love you," he said softly, a tiny smile playing on his lips as he spoke, completely assured now that Tom *did* want to hear his declaration. Without another word, he brought Tom to him and recaptured his mouth. 

Time flew by, the men lost in the moment they had both dreamed of, their arousal growing steadily stronger. And as the kisses started to become more passionate, Tom shifted forward, his hands slowly working their way to the hem of Chakotay's T-shirt. Catching hold of it, he eased the grey material upwards, his eager fingers then exploring the man's smooth, warm skin; relentlessly mapping out the contours of his muscular chest. 

Chakotay moaned softly as Tom's questing fingers found a nipple and pulled at it, teasing it gently until it was hard. "Tom," he breathed, pulling away again from the younger man's lips. "Oh, hell." He groaned, and moved his mouth to Tom's neck, licking at the beads of sweat that had started to form there. Slowly, he ran his tongue from the pilot's throat to just below his left ear, repeating the movement until Tom was moaning incessantly, and squirming in his lap. He pulled at the collar of Tom's shirt. "Get this off, Tom," he ordered softly, whispering the words against Tom's neck. "Please. Get everything off. I want to see all of you."

Tom groaned, dropping his head to rest on Chakotay's shoulder as deft fingers helped him to quickly unfasten his clothes. His shirt was tugged at, his arms removed from the sleeves, and then it was gone, dropped behind him to land on the floor, at the base of the couch. Warm hands made contact with his sides, and his back arched involuntarily. As he lifted his head from Chakotay's shoulder, he noticed how intensely he was being scrutinised; Chakotay seemed to be visually inspecting every single part of his exposed skin. He watched as the older man's gaze fell on the regenerated patch below his left shoulder, and he saw a scowl appear on his lover's face, reminding him how angry and upset Chakotay had been the first time he'd seen Telsesh' mark. "The Doc says it should go, eventually," he whispered as Chakotay's fingers lightly traced the raised scar there. "He's gonna work on it again in a few days time. The tissue damage was too severe for him to repair it all at once." He leaned forward, kissing Chakotay's lips and preventing the angry words he could tell were about to be spoken. "Forget him, Chay," he insisted, knowing that Chakotay was thinking about Telsesh. "It's over. All that matters is that *we're* together." He kissed Chakotay again, deeper this time. "We're together," he smiled.

Chakotay wrapped his arms around the younger man, drawing Tom's firm, warm body as close to his own as he could. "Tom," he whispered, breathing the words against Tom's lips. "I want you." He pulled back, his concerned eyes looking questioningly at his lover. 

Even without it being verbalised, Tom knew what Chakotay was asking. "Apart from the scar, I'm fine," he quietly assured him. "And I want you, too, Chakotay. I want you inside me," he added, pressing himself against the hardness that lay inside Chakotay's pants. He reached into his pocket, smiling as he pulled out a tube of lubricant he'd brought with him. "I was hoping we'd need it," he explained in a whisper. "Take me, Chay," he continued softly, seductively. "Here. Now. Get rid of Telsesh' claim on me, for good. Make me yours, instead." 

Chakotay reacted immediately to Tom's words, and gently manoeuvred the younger man until he was stretched out on the couch. Settling himself between Tom's legs, he leaned forward and grasped the pilot's head with both hands, then kissed him thoroughly. "I love you so much, Tom," he murmured as he moved his lips to Tom's neck. "So much."

Tom gave a soft gasp as he felt teeth lightly nipping the sensitive skin beneath his ear. Reaching up, he wrapped his arms around the man above him and drew him down completely, sighing as Chakotay finally lay full length on top of him. As he held Chakotay firmly, his hand roamed beneath the older man's shirt, caressing the warm, slightly damp skin of his back before dipping down inside his pants. "You feel so good, Chay," he whispered as he awkwardly toed off his shoes. "Let me feel more. Please." 

Carefully, Chakotay eased himself up again, pulling his T-shirt off as he moved. "Stand up, Tom," he said softly, getting to his feet and holding his hand out to the younger man. "Come on. Let's take this to the bedroom." 

Tom took Chakotay's proffered hand and quickly stood up, grabbing the lubricant, which had fallen between the cushions as he'd left the couch. Before Chakotay could lead him across the living area, he claimed one more lingering kiss, relishing the feel of Chakotay's solid, bare chest against his own. As they parted, he moaned softly but didn't speak. Instead, he retook Chakotay's hand and allowed himself to be led to the bedroom.

The lights were still low, and the bed unmade, but all that either man cared about was removing the last barriers of cloth that lay between them. Pants were disposed of quickly, along with Tom's socks and briefs, until finally, they were standing naked in front of each other. With the starlight providing most of the room's illumination, they spent several long moments just silently appraising and appreciating each other; both glad that they could now do so openly, instead of making do with the covert glimpses they'd taken on Nahldar.

Stepping forward, Tom threw the tube he carried on to the bed, then moved into Chakotay's waiting arms. Slowly, deeply, they kissed; their love for each other obvious in the unhurried moment. Without even realising it, they sank down on to the bed, the kiss continuing as they lay across the rumpled sheets. Slowly, Chakotay trailed his fingers down Tom's back until they dipped between his cheeks, gently and tentatively probing him, before pushing in further as Tom moaned and shifted to a more accessible position. "Chay," Tom gasped, his head nestled against Chakotay's neck. "More. Please," he pleaded as he unconsciously began to rub himself against the sweat-slicked body beneath him. "Please, Chay. I need you. Now."

Chakotay swallowed heavily, his free hand groping around the bed until he found the tube of lubricant. With nervous fingers, he flipped the cap open, then squeezed out some of the clear gel. And as Tom's movements above him became more frantic, he carefully pushed his slippery fingers deep inside his lover's body. 

With a loud groan, Tom rolled himself on to his back, reversing their positions. Gazing into the dark eyes that now peered down at him, he raised his legs in silent invitation, his breathing becoming shallow as he watched Chakotay spread the gel over the length of his erection. His hand strayed towards his own groin, but before he could touch himself, Chakotay's fingers closed around him, stroking and pulling for a moment, before they left and returned their attention to his opening. "Now, Chakotay. Now," Tom whispered, pulling his legs up further. "Don't make me wait any longer. Please. I'm ready. Do it now." His impassioned request had the desired effect, and with Chakotay's arms pushing against the back of his knees, holding him in place, he finally felt his lover enter him.

Closing his eyes and panting heavily, Chakotay pushed further and further into Tom's eager body; the reality of the long-dreamt-of moment almost overwhelming in its intensity. When he was as deep as he could possibly get, he opened his eyes and gazed down to where his and Tom's bodies were now joined; pale skin meeting darker skin, at a place where he never thought they'd meet. With another groan, he began to move.

"Oh, yeah," Tom sighed loudly. He reached up and caught hold of Chakotay's head, his fingers gripping the man's silky black hair and pulling him downwards until their lips met. His tongue pushed in and out of Chakotay's mouth, gently mimicking the movements that Chakotay was making inside him. Then, gradually, he began to speed up, moaning over and over as Chakotay followed suit.

"You're so beautiful, Tom," Chakotay gasped, just barely capable of speech. "Hot. Tight. Beautiful. Mine," he breathed between thrusts. "All mine." 

"Always," Tom affirmed in a whisper. He removed one hand from Chakotay's head, and gripped his own erection, staring intently at the older man's flushed and sweat-soaked face as he began to stroke himself. "I love you, Chakotay," he murmured.

Chakotay was already close, and those words were all he needed to push him over the edge. With one last deep thrust, he groaned loudly, flooding Tom's body with wave after wave of liquid heat. And as he climaxed, so did Tom; the younger man driven to the point of no return by the look of sheer ecstasy that crossed Chakotay's face as he came. 

Totally spent, they fell side by side on the bed, their breaths little more than a series of gasps. For the next several minutes all they could do was gaze at each other, but once their breathing had calmed enough, their arms sought each other out. With deep, satisfied sighs, they snuggled close, ignoring the stickiness on Tom's stomach as they resumed the leisurely kisses they'd enjoyed earlier.

"Part of Amshev's wish for me was that I'd find my heart's desire," Tom remarked when they eventually lay still, their arms loosely wound around each other. He turned to look closely at the man beside him. "You're my heart's desire, Chay, so that bit's worked out."

"And now you're wondering if you'll get the rest of what Amshev wished for you; that you'll never lose what you've found," Chakotay speculated, giving Tom a gentle smile.

"Yeah," Tom confirmed softly. He moved closer, resting his head on Chakotay's shoulder as he gazed up at him. "What d'you think, Chakotay?" he asked hesitantly. "*Will* I ever lose you? Or will I get the rest of the wish? Will we stay together?"

"Tom," Chakotay said quietly, hugging the younger man tightly. "You're the only person I have ever loved, or *will* ever love. So what do *you* think? You want to stay with me. I want to stay with you. I think there's a pretty high chance you're going to get the rest of that wish, don't you?" 

"Well, if you put it that way...."

"I do. Now, come here and kiss me."

"Is that an order, Sir? Because I just might have to disobey you...."

"Oh, hell! I'd forgotten about that!"

"Really?" Tom smiled. "Then let me remind you. There was this hotel room. One bed. One couch...."

 

End


End file.
